Sample records for brunei

  1. Extended investigation on road fatality in Brunei.

    PubMed

    Yusof, N B; Hoque, M A; Steele, M C; Yong, S Y

    2018-06-08

    Road fatality is one of the leading causes of death in Brunei with 79 deaths in 1993, the highest ever recorded. The Brunei government has been trying to reduce this by implementing new traffic measures and successfully reduced fatalities to 24 fatalities in 2014. Yearly road fatality has been fluctuating, but there has been a declining tendency overall. The aim of this study is to investigate road fatality in Brunei by extending the research. We developed a multiple regression model and carried out an analysis on road fatality in Brunei. Our analysis indicates that the road fatality appears to rise depending on the increase in the number of young drivers between 15 to 24 years and the number of unemployed people. Comparisons of Brunei road fatality rate per 10,000 vehicles are made with some other countries and we conclude that Brunei has approximately the same rate as Australia in 2014.

  2. Southeast Asia Report

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-05-19

    Megat Junid Megat Ayob, and Deputy Minister of Labor Datuk Wan Abu Bakar Ahmad. Old UMNO Supreme Council members, who were reelected in the UMNO...Brunei 18 Mokhtar Confers With Brunei Sultan 18 Paper Views Central Committee Analysis of Economic Weakness (PASASON, 3 Feb 87) .... . 19...first deputy prime minister, Mr Goh Chok Tong, now in Negara Brunei Darussalem [State of Brunei Darussalam], has met Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. He

  3. Enterovirus 71 Outbreak, Brunei

    PubMed Central

    Sam, I-Ching; Yusof, Jaliha; Lim, Meng Keang; Misbah, Suzana; Hooi, Poh-Sim

    2009-01-01

    Enterovirus 71 (EV71) outbreaks occur periodically in the Asia-Pacific region. In 2006, Brunei reported its first major outbreak of EV71 infections, associated with fatalities from neurologic complications. Isolated EV71 strains formed a distinct lineage with low diversity within subgenogroup B5, suggesting recent introduction and rapid spread within Brunei. PMID:19116058

  4. Brunei: Abode of Peace.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schelander, Bjorn

    This book introduces students to the people and the geography of Brunei. The country is filled with a variety of complex ecosystems and tropical rain forests. This book provides background information and suggested topics for an intensive study of the country. The three chapters are entitled: (1) "Introduction to Brunei"; (2) "Early…

  5. New taxa and notes on crickets of the subfamily Landrevinae (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) from Brunei Darussalam, Borneo.

    PubMed

    Tan, Ming Kai; Wahab, Rodzay Bin Haji Abdul

    2017-12-19

    New taxa from the subfamily Landrevinae (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) are expected despite recent work on its taxonomy. Here, two more new species from Brunei Darussalam, Borneo are described: Duolandrevus (Eulandrevus) kawataredoki sp. nov. and Endodrelanva nympha sp. nov. The male calling song of D. (E.) kawataredoki sp. nov. is also described. We report the occurrence of a Duolandrevus (Bejorama) from Brunei close to (nr.) luzonensis Otte, 1988. We also document from Brunei a case of parasitic wasp from the genus Liris (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Larrini) hunting a Landrevinae.

  6. English Language Teaching in Brunei: A View through a Critical Lens

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barry, Clayton

    2011-01-01

    The small sultanate of Brunei, located on the island of Borneo in the South China Sea, introduced bilingual education shortly after independence. As a consequence, Brunei's Ministry of Education outsourced much of its English language teaching requirements to qualified expatriate teachers. Despite over 25 years of systemic English language…

  7. Developmental Interdependence Hypothesis Revisited in the Brunei Classroom [and] A Response.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liew, Elizabeth M.; Saravanan, Vanithamani

    1996-01-01

    Focuses on the importance of developing the native language (L1), i.e., "Bahasa Melayu," as a firm foundation for the learning of a second language (L2) in Brunei and analyzes problems facing learners of "Bahasa Melayu" and English in Brunei classrooms. Saravanan's response focuses on the structure of the Brunesian bilingual…

  8. Foreign Language Learners' Motivation and Its Effects on Their Achievement: Implications for Effective Teaching of Students Studying Japanese at Universiti Brunei Darussalam

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keaney, Minako; Mundia, Lawrence

    2014-01-01

    An increasing number of students at the University of Brunei Darussalam are studying the Japanese language. However, research on the relationship between learners' motivation and their achievement has not been given sufficient attention in Japanese foreign language education compared to English in Brunei. The present study, which utilized a…

  9. Bilingual Education in Brunei: The Evolution of the Brunei Approach to Bilingual Education and the Role of CfBT in Promoting Educational Change. Research Briefing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Riggall, Anna, Ed.

    2014-01-01

    During 2012/13 academics from the Department of Education, University of Oxford, were commissioned by CfBT to conduct an independent evaluation of the CfBT Brunei English teaching programme. The evaluation sought to document the various processes of change and improvement within the Bruneian education system between 1996 and 2012, in particular…

  10. Bilingual Education in Brunei: The Evolution of the Brunei Approach to Bilingual Education and the Role of CfBT in Promoting Educational Change. Summary Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Riggall, Anna, Ed.

    2014-01-01

    During 2012/13, academics from the Department of Education, University of Oxford were commissioned by CfBT to conduct an independent evaluation of the CfBT Brunei English teaching programme. The evaluation sought to document the various processes of change and improvement within the Bruneian education system between 1996 and 2012, in particular…

  11. Village midwives and their changing roles in Brunei Darussalam: A qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Abdul-Mumin, Khadizah Haji

    2016-10-01

    There are lay midwives worldwide, interchangeably and universally called traditional birth attendants or traditional midwives by organisations such as the World Health Organization and the International Confederation of Midwives. This study aimed to explore the history of lay midwives (village midwives) in Brunei, describe the evolution from their previous to current roles and determine if they are still needed by women today. This qualitative, descriptive study included in-depth, semi-structured interviews with eight women who had received care from village midwives. Data analysis was based on the principles underpinning thematic analysis and used a constant comparative method. Village midwives have been popular in Brunei since the 1900s, with their major role being to assist women with childbirth. However, since the 1960s, their roles and practices have changed to focus on pre-conception, antenatal, postnatal and women's general healthcare. Traditional practices were influenced by religion, culture and the social context of and within Brunei. The major changes in village midwives' roles and practices resulted from the enforcement of the Brunei Midwives' Act in 1956. Village midwives' traditional practices became juxtaposed with modern complementary alternative medicine practices, and they began charging a fee for their services. Brunei village midwives are trusted by women, and their practices may still be widely accepted in Brunei. Further research is necessary to confirm their existence, determine the detailed scope and appropriateness of their practices and verify the feasibility of them working together with healthcare professionals. Copyright © 2016 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Bilingual Education in Brunei: The Evolution of the Brunei Approach to Bilingual Education and the Role of CfBT in Promoting Educational Change. Full Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sammons, Pamela; Davis, Susila; Bakkum, Linda; Hessel, Gianna

    2014-01-01

    During 2012/13, academics from the Department of Education, University of Oxford were commissioned by CfBT to conduct an independent evaluation of the CfBT Brunei English teaching programme. This report describes the main findings from a research project that studied the role of CfBT Education Trust in supporting improved English language teaching…

  13. End stage renal disease in Brunei Darussalam - report from the first Brunei Dialysis Transplant Registry (BDTR).

    PubMed

    Tan, Jackson

    2013-09-01

    The Brunei Dialysis and Transplant Registry (BDTR) was established in 2011 to collect data from patients undergoing renal replacement therapy (RRT) in Brunei Darussalam. The chief aims of the registry are to obtain general demographic data for RRT patients and to determine disease burden attributable to End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). The registry population comprises of all ESRD patients treated in Brunei Darussalam. Data domains include general demographic data, medical history, ESRD etiological causes, laboratory investigations, dialysis treatment and outcomes. There were 545 prevalent RRT patients in Brunei at the end of 2011. The incidence and prevalence of ESRD were 265 and 1250 per million population. Hemodialysis (HD), Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) and Transplant comprised of 83%, 11% and 6% of the RRT population, respectively. Diabetes mellitus accounted for 57% of all new incident cases. The mean serum hemoglobin, phosphate, calcium and iPTH were 11.0 ± 1.6 g/dL, 1.9 ± 0.5 mmol/L, 2.3 ± 0.2 mmol/L and 202.5 ± 323.4 ng/mL. Dialysis adequacy for HD and PD were 65.1 (urea reduction ratio) and 2.0 ± 0.3 (Kt/v). 71 % of all prevalent HD had functioning AV fistulae and the peritonitis incidence was one in 24.5 patient-month/episode. The first BDTR has identified some deficiencies in the renal services in Brunei. However, it signals an important milestone for the establishment of benchmarked renal practice in the country. We hoped to maintain and improve our registry for years to come and will strive to align our standards to acceptable international practice.

  14. Brunei Country Analysis Brief

    EIA Publications

    2017-01-01

    Brunei's small, wealthy economy is based heavily upon proceeds from exports of crude oil and natural gas. Brunei relies on hydrocarbon revenues for about 60% of its gross domestic product and about 90% of its merchandise exports and government revenues. Lower international oil prices since late 2014 have dampened the country’s export revenues. However, the government intends to bolster investment in its oil and gas sector and diversify the country’s economic base by promoting growth in other industries over the long term.

  15. Brunei-Sarawak Border

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2017-10-31

    The southwestern border of Brunei with Sarawak, Malaysia is strikingly apparent due to differences in land use practice. On the Malaysian side, a spider web of small roads indicates intensive land use: in this case clearing of the forest for palm oil plantations. On the Brunei side, the virgin forest is preserved, with few if any roads cutting through the forest. The image was acquired September 10, 2012, covers an area of 38 by 38 km, and is located at 4.2 degrees north, 114.4 degrees east. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22034

  16. Brunei Darussalam.

    PubMed

    1985-04-01

    Brunei's population characteristics, geographical features, history, form of government, and political and economic situation were briefly described. Brunei is a small country on the northwest coast of the island of Borneo. Estimated population size is 214,000 (1983), and the annual population growth rate is 0.35% (1971-81). Ethnically, the population is 65% Malay, 20% Chinese, and 15% other. The major religion is Islam, and a variety of languages are spoken, including Malay, English, Chinese, and Iban. Education is compulsory through the primary grades, and the literacy rate among the young is 95%. Between the 1500s and the 1800s, the country was a Buddhist kingdom, then a Hindu kingdom, and finally an Islamic kingdom. In 1847 the Sultan of Brunei entered into a trade agreement with Great Britain, and in 1888 the country was placed under British rule. In 1929 the discovery of oil lead to the economic development of the country. During World War II, the country was occupied by the Japanese. In 1984, after resisting pressure to unite with Sarawak and Malaysia, Brunei was granted independence. At that time it adopted the official name of Brunei Darussalam. The country remains a hereditary sultanate, and the current sultan is Sir Muda Hassanal Bolkaih Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah. The sultan has supreme executive authority and is assisted in administering the country by a 6-person cabinet which includes 3 members of the royal family. 46% of the work force is employed by the government, and government workers are provided with an extensive array of economic benefits, ranging from free medical care to low interest loans. The economy is based primarily on the production of oil and gas, which is produced by Brunei Shell, a consortium owned jointly by the government and Shell Oil. Brunei Shell is the country's 2nd largest employer next to the government, accounts for 72% of the gross domestic product (GDP), and is the primary source of government revenue. Oil accounts for 99% of the country's total exports. Imports consist primarily of manufactured items, machinery, transport, food, and chemicals. The country imports 80% of its food supply. Agricultural production is low because of a shortage of labor and the poor quality of the country's soils. In 1984 the GDP was US$4.0 billion, and per capita income was US$20,000. Development plans for 1985-90 stress economic diversification. Currently 35% of the labor force is made up of foreign workers, and most of these workers are employed by the oil industry. Foreign workers are granted only 1-year work permits. Foreign investment is encouraged but carefully controlled by the government. Brunei is a member of the UN, the Association of South East Asian Nations, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, and the Commonwealth. Brunei seeks to maintain friendly relations with its Asian neighbors and has diplomatic relations with the US.

  17. Extreme Differences in Forest Degradation in Borneo: Comparing Practices in Sarawak, Sabah, and Brunei

    PubMed Central

    Bryan, Jane E.; Shearman, Philip L.; Asner, Gregory P.; Knapp, David E.; Aoro, Geraldine; Lokes, Barbara

    2013-01-01

    The Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak are global hotspots of forest loss and degradation due to timber and oil palm industries; however, the rates and patterns of change have remained poorly measured by conventional field or satellite approaches. Using 30 m resolution optical imagery acquired since 1990, forest cover and logging roads were mapped throughout Malaysian Borneo and Brunei using the Carnegie Landsat Analysis System. We uncovered ∼364,000 km of roads constructed through the forests of this region. We estimated that in 2009 there were at most 45,400 km2 of intact forest ecosystems in Malaysian Borneo and Brunei. Critically, we found that nearly 80% of the land surface of Sabah and Sarawak was impacted by previously undocumented, high-impact logging or clearing operations from 1990 to 2009. This contrasted strongly with neighbouring Brunei, where 54% of the land area remained covered by unlogged forest. Overall, only 8% and 3% of land area in Sabah and Sarawak, respectively, was covered by intact forests under designated protected areas. Our assessment shows that very few forest ecosystems remain intact in Sabah or Sarawak, but that Brunei, by largely excluding industrial logging from its borders, has been comparatively successful in protecting its forests. PMID:23874983

  18. Countering China’s Maritime Territorial Disputes

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-03-31

    9 Malaysia ...associated landmasses, while Malaysia , the Philippines, Indonesia, and Brunei claim the islands near their primary landmass. Figure 1. depicts the various...China’s natural baseline by UNCLOS, and impinges upon the EEZs of Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia , Indonesia, and Vietnam. Taiwan Taiwan’s

  19. Coping Styles of Failing Brunei Vocational Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mundia, Lawrence; Salleh, Sallimah

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to determine the prevalence of two types of underachieving students (n = 246) (active failing (AF) and passive failing (PF)) in Brunei vocational and technical education (VTE) institutions and their patterns of coping. Design/methodology/approach: The field survey method was used to directly reach many…

  20. Enhancing Inclusive Educational Practices within Secondary Schools in Brunei Darussalam

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fitzgerald, Kenneth Walden

    2010-01-01

    Inclusive education policies have been espoused by the Ministry of Education in Brunei Darussalam since the late 1990's. In this paper, the author examines the current state of inclusion in secondary schools throughout the country. Procedures, practices and processes which directly or indirectly impede the realization of national and international…

  1. Policy Changes in Brunei Teacher Education: Implications for the Selection of Trainee Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mundia, Lawrence

    2012-01-01

    To improve quality, teacher education programs in Brunei were recently eliminated at the undergraduate level and changed to master of teaching degree courses. Prospective teachers are required to obtain content-rich initial degrees prior to applying for teacher training. This study argues that the high entry qualification to teaching may, in…

  2. A Comparative Study of Teachers' Pedagogical Competencies in Supporting Children with Learning Difficulties in Primary Schools in Ghana and Brunei Darussalam

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abosi, Okechukwu; Alhassan, Abdul Razak Kuyini

    2017-01-01

    Teachers' pedagogical competencies level is increasingly affecting the implementation of inclusive education policy in many countries. The aimed at comparing primary school teachers' competence levels in supporting children with learning difficulties in Brunei Darussalam and Ghana. Descriptive survey design was used and 188 primary school teachers…

  3. Miscue Analysis of Oral Reading among Less Proficient Readers in Primary Schools in Brunei Darussalam

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hamid, Juliana Bte Haji Abdul; Abosi, Okechukwu

    2011-01-01

    Reading disability is the most common disability. At least one in five children has significant challenges learning to read. This study focused on the oral reading performance of 30 Year-Three students. The students were identified as less proficient readers from two randomly selected primary schools in Brunei Darussalam. The oral reading…

  4. Child Rearing Study in Brunei Darussalam.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosberg, Marilee A.

    In order to gather data on children's lives, language, and religious activities, and to gather data on child rearing practices in Brunei, a study interviewed parents from 38 Malaysian families having one or more children 3-8 years old. Results indicated that 92 percent of the children crawled when they were between 6-9 months old; 63 percent were…

  5. The Impact of a Child with Autism on the Bruneian Family System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tait, Kathleen J.; Mundia, Lawrence

    2012-01-01

    An investigation of parents' perspectives on family life with a child with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) in Negara Brunei Darussalam (Brunei) and the socio-cultural context in which these families function was conducted. It has been suggested that the impact of a child with a developmental disability, like autism spectrum disorder, on the…

  6. Effects of Psychological Distress on Academic Achievement in Brunei Student Teachers: Identification Challenges and Counseling Implications

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mundia, Lawrence

    2011-01-01

    Students with psychological and mental health problems are often accorded a low status and priority compared to peers with other disabilities. Recent research indicated that a female Brunei student teacher prematurely left her training program due to unaddressed mental health problems. The present study used a mixed methods approach. The random…

  7. Brunei English: A Developing Variety

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Hara-Davies, Breda

    2010-01-01

    A considerable amount of time has elapsed since the existence of a distinct variety of English, Brunei English (BNE), was mooted in the early 1990s. A subsequent study conducted by Svalberg in 1998 suggested that BNE was then in its infancy and that its speakers were largely unaware of the differences between it and Standard British English (STE).…

  8. Service Quality in Higher Education--A Case Study of Universiti Brunei Darussalam

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alani, Farooq; Yaqoub, Yasir; Hamdan, Mahani

    2015-01-01

    No one doubts the value and importance of quality education, and quality assurance is one major driving force to achieve this. Measuring the performance of service quality of education services of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), as part of the quality assessment, was assessed based on Parasuraman's five Servqual dimensions. The assessment was…

  9. A Practical and Reflexive Liberal-Humanist Approach to International Mindedness in International Schools: Case Studies from Malaysia and Brunei

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tamatea, Laurence

    2008-01-01

    This article explores the response to cultural diversity and international mindedness at international schools in Malaysia and Brunei. It shows that the curriculum at these schools is set within a liberal-humanist framework, which some might suggest facilitates the project of "Westernization". It argues, however, that under the (local)…

  10. Social Desirability, Non-Response Bias and Reliability in a Long Self-Report Measure: Illustrations from the MMPI-2 Administered to Brunei Student Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mundia, Lawrence

    2011-01-01

    The survey investigated the problems of social desirability (SD), non-response bias (NRB) and reliability in the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory--Revised (MMPI-2) self-report inventory administered to Brunei student teachers. Bruneians scored higher on all the validity scales than the normative US sample, thereby threatening the…

  11. Code-Switching in the Primary Classroom: One Response to the Planned and the Unplanned Language Environment in Brunei [and] A Response.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, Peter W.; Espiritu, Clemencia C

    1996-01-01

    Examines how the teacher incorporates elements of both "Bahasa Melayu" and Brunei Malay into content lessons and views code switching in the primary classroom within the wider framework of community language norms and the linguistic pressures on students and teachers. Espiritu shares Martin's concern regarding the quantity and quality of…

  12. The Suitability of the EPQ-R Short Scale for Counselling Brunei Student Teachers when Administered in English and Malay Languages

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mundia, Lawrence; Abu Bakar, Hj Abu Zahari Bin

    2010-01-01

    The study investigated the psychometric properties of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised (EPQ-R) Short Scale administered to two groups of Brunei trainee teachers of both genders taking psychology courses in English (117 students) and Malay (106 students). The extraversion scale had the most problematic items. Both administrations…

  13. Brunei Teachers' Perspectives on Questioning: Investigating the Opportunities to "Talk" in Mathematics Lessons

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shahrill, Masitah; Clarke, David J.

    2014-01-01

    A teachers' practice cannot be characterised by a single lesson, hence comparison is best made with lesson sequences that better sample the diversity of a teacher's practice. In this study, we video recorded lesson sequences in four Year 8 mathematics classrooms, as well as interviewed each of the four teachers in Brunei Darussalam. Because of our…

  14. Barriers to Mathematics Achievement in Brunei Secondary School Students: Insights into the Roles of Mathematics Anxiety, Self-Esteem, Proactive Coping, and Test Stress

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hamid, Malai Hayati Sheikh; Shahrill, Masitah; Matzin, Rohani; Mahalle, Salwa; Mundia, Lawrence

    2013-01-01

    The cross-sectional field survey examined the roles of mathematics anxiety, self-esteem, proactive coping, and test stress in mathematics achievement among 204 (151 females) randomly selected Year 8-10 Brunei secondary school students. The negative dimensions of mathematics anxiety, self-esteem, and proactive coping correlated negatively with…

  15. Selected Pre-Vocational Students' Experiences of School in Brunei Darussalam

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ismail, Lili Mariam; Koay, Teng Leong

    2014-01-01

    There is a lack of studies on the school experiences of students in the pre-vocational programme in Brunei Darussalam. The aim of this study is find out what are the students' experiences at school, what they go through at school and so on. A qualitative approach was utilized whereby in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven…

  16. The importance of teacher interpersonal behaviour for student attitudes in Brunei primary science classes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    den Brok, Perry; Fisher, Darrell; Scott, Rowena

    2005-07-01

    This study investigated relationships between students' perceptions of their teachers' interpersonal behaviour and their subject-related attitude in primary science classes in Brunei. Teacher student interpersonal behaviour was mapped with the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction (QTI) and reported in terms of two independent dimensions called Influence (teacher dominance vs submission) and Proximity (teacher cooperation vs opposition). While prior research using the QTI mainly focused on secondary education, the present study was one of the first in Brunei and in primary education and one of few studies to use multilevel analysis. Data from 1305 students from 64 classes were used in this study. Results indicated strong and positive effects of Influence and Proximity on students' enjoyment of their science class and supported findings of earlier work with the QTI.

  17. Implementation of SPN21 Curriculum in Brunei Darussalam: A Review of Selected Implications on School Assessment Reforms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mundia, Lawrence

    2010-01-01

    In the past twelve years (1997-2009), Brunei Darussalam has implemented three major educational policies: (1) inclusive education, in 1998; (2) the National Education System for the 21st Century known in Malay as Sistem Pendidikan Negara Abad 21 or SPN21, 2008; and (3) education for the gifted / talented students, 2009. These changes are partly…

  18. Psychosocial Work Stressors, Work Fatigue, and Musculoskeletal Disorders: Comparison between Emergency and Critical Care Nurses in Brunei Public Hospitals.

    PubMed

    Abdul Rahman, Hanif; Abdul-Mumin, Khadizah; Naing, Lin

    2017-03-01

    Little evidence estimated the exposure of psychosocial work stressors, work-related fatigue, and musculoskeletal disorders for nurses working in South-East Asian region, and research on this subject is almost nonexistent in Brunei. The main aim of our study was to provide a comprehensive exploration and estimate exposure of the study variables amongst emergency (ER) and critical care (CC) nurses in Brunei. The study also aims to compare whether experiences of ER nurses differ from those of CC nurses. This cross-sectional study was implemented in the ER and CC departments across Brunei public hospitals from February to April 2016 by using Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire II, Occupational Fatigue Exhaustion Recovery scale, and Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire. In total, 201 ER and CC nurses (82.0% response rate) participated in the study. Quantitative demands of CC nurses were significantly higher than ER nurses. Even so, ER nurses were 4.0 times more likely [95% confidence interval (2.21, 7.35)] to experience threats of violence, and 2.8 times more likely [95% confidence interval: (1.50, 5.29)] to experience chronic fatigue. The results revealed that nurses experienced high quantitative demands, work pace, stress, and burnout. High prevalence of chronic and persistent fatigue, threats of violence and bullying, and musculoskeletal pain at the neck, shoulder, upper and lower back, and foot region, was also reported. This study has provided good estimates for the exposure rate of psychosocial work stressors, work-related fatigue, and musculoskeletal disorders among nurses in Brunei. It provided important initial insight for nursing management and policymakers to make informed decisions on current and future planning to provide nurses with a conducive work environment. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  19. Science textbooks for lower secondary schools in Brunei: issues of gender equity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Elgar, Ann G.

    2004-07-01

    This paper is concerned with issues affecting equity in science education for girls and boys. In the paper the results of an investigation into the recently published (1998-2000) series of textbooks entitled Lower Secondary Science for Brunei Darussalam are presented. In the first part of the paper, background issues of continuing gender inequality in science education and of the nature and scope of textbook analyses are outlined. Then the representation of males and females in both illustrations and text in the Bruneian textbooks is discussed. From this analysis a picture emerges of the extent to which science is portrayed as a pursuit of equal appropriateness for both boys and girls. The paper concludes with a consideration of the implications of the findings presented within the wider context of gender and education in Brunei.

  20. Interactions and Inter-relationships Around Text: Practices and Positionings in a Multilingual Classroom in Brunei.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, Peter W.

    2003-01-01

    Reports on a microethnographic study of a number of classrooms in different areas of Negara Brunei Darussalam, a small Malay Islamic Monarchy on the Northern coast of Borneo, Southeast Asia. Focuses on one classroom in a small up-river school away from the malay center and in one of the few areas in the country where a form of Malay is not the…

  1. Effect of the Jigsaw-Based Cooperative Learning Method on Student Performance in the General Certificate of Education Advanced-Level Psychology: An Exploratory Brunei Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Azmin, Nur Hafizah

    2016-01-01

    The mixed-methods study investigated the effect of the jigsaw cooperative learning method on student performance in psychology and their views towards it. Experimental data were obtained via pre-and-post tests and an open-ended questionnaire from 16 conveniently selected students at one Sixth Form College in Brunei. Moreover, the participants…

  2. The U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement: Effects After Five Years

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-03-26

    Years Dick K. Nanto Specialist in Industry and Trade March 26, 2010 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov RL34315 Report Documentation...agreement with Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. The first round of negotiations began March 15, 2010, in...agreement with Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. The first round of negotiations began March 15, 2010, in

  3. U.S.-Vietnam Military Relations: Game Theory Perspective

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-06-01

    the resource-rich Spratly and Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. These islands are also being claimed by five other countries: Brunei, Malaysia ...other countries: Brunei, Malaysia , the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Currently China claims the entire South China Sea as its territorial waters... Malaysia , the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam.1 The U.S. has great interest in this issue because its trade routes with Southeast Asia go through

  4. Vietnam’s South China Sea Territorial Disputes: A Path to Resolution

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-11-01

    under Communist rule , but the South rejected the unification. From the mid-1960s until the mid-1970s the United States intervened in an unsuccessful...Southeast Asia’s long- term stability. China, Vietnam, and Taiwan all have claims based on history. Malaysia , Philippines, and Brunei have claims...the Spratly Islands presents an obstacle to dramatic improvements in regional relationships. The Philippines, Brunei, and Malaysia all claim

  5. The process of internationalization of the nursing and midwifery curriculum: A qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Abdul-Mumin, Khadizah H

    2016-11-01

    There is an abundance of literature on internationalization of curricula. However, research on how a curriculum is internationalized to accommodate non-mobile students studying in their home countries is limited. To describe the process undertaken by curriculum developers in internationalizing the Brunei nursing and midwifery curriculum through curriculum design. A descriptive qualitative research design. A nursing and midwifery higher education institution in Brunei. Seventeen nurse/midwife academics. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 curriculum developers. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Four themes emerged: expectations of an internationalized curriculum; formation of a committee; benchmarking and setting standards; and designing the curriculum for internationalization. This study has implications for the development of an internationally-oriented curriculum that takes into account the cultural context of a specific country. The findings highlight the need to involve students in curriculum design, a practice that is not common in Brunei. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Modernity and Globalisation: Is the Presence of English and of Cultural Products in English a Sign of Linguistic and Cultural Imperialism? Results of a Study Conducted in Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coluzzi, Paolo

    2012-01-01

    This article looks at language use and attitudes in Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia through a survey conducted among 88 university students for each country. The focus of the article, however, is on the expanding use of English, particularly as far as media consumption is concerned, relating this with issues of globalisation and linguistic and…

  7. JPRS Report, East Asia, Southeast Asia.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1991-04-26

    at Nurul Iman Palace between Minister of Defense Datuk Sri Najib Tun Razak and Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah. Datuk Sri Najib was on a one-day...Haji Apong. Speaking to reporters at the Brunei International Airport before returning to Kuala Lumpur, Datuk Sri Najib said that the sultan of...the MOU so that it can be signed quickly," Datuk Sri Najib said. He said the main provisions of the MOU will include officer training, acquisition of

  8. U.S.-Vietnam Relations in 2011: Current Issues and Implications for U.S. Policy

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-05-18

    higher priority to cleaning up sites contaminated by Agent Orange/dioxin used by U.S. troops during the Vietnam War. Over the past several years, the two...a policy of neutrality on the claims by the parties, which also include Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia , the Philippines, and Taiwan. Throughout 2009...territorial disputes. Roughly one and a half times the size of the Mediterranean Sea, it is ringed by China, Vietnam, Malaysia , Indonesia, Brunei

  9. Awareness of BIM adoption in Brunei

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rahman, Md Motiar

    2017-09-01

    Building Information Modelling (BIM) is getting increased attention day-by-day due to its many benefits, including clash detection, collaboration between contract parties, visualization future structure, optimized schedule and project control, waste control, design documentation, and harmonized facilities management. As such, many countries have already adopted BIM, and many other countries are exploring the potential of adopting it. However, it is still relatively new and unknown to some other countries like Brunei. This study was therefore undertaken to generate and/or gauge the awareness of Brunei construction industry participants, targeting adoption of BIM, through a structured questionnaire survey. Responses from 90 industry participants reveal that Brunei Construction industry is not well aware of BIM, lack the required technical knowledge and application in construction, and cost involvement. They are unsure about the potential benefits and barriers to implementing BIM. However, respondents are hopeful that BIM can bring the required changes in construction, willing to adopt BIM, expects cliental support with initial investment for its adoption, and believe that BIM is the future of construction project information management. On the whole, private sector was seen to be more aware on BIM than public sector. The study outcomes are expected to provide the policy makers a first-hand information on the industry awareness on BIM, which in turn help them for further exploration / examination and to design any action plan and guidelines for BIM adoption.

  10. Investigation of the effect of weather conditions on solar radiation in Brunei Darussalam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yazdani, M. G.; Salam, M. A.; Rahman, Q. M.

    2016-11-01

    The amount of solar radiation received on the earth's surface is known to be highly influenced by the weather conditions and the geography of a particular area. This paper presents some results of an investigation that was carried out to find the effects of weather patterns on the solar radiation in Brunei Darussalam, a small country that experiences equatorial climate due to its geographical location. Weather data were collected at a suitable location in the University Brunei Darussalam (UBD) and were compared with the available data provided by the Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Services (BDMS). It has been found that the solar radiation is directly proportional to the atmospheric temperature while it is inversely proportional to the relative humidity. It has also been found that wind speed has little influence on solar radiation. Functional relationships between the solar radiation and the atmospheric temperature, and between the solar radiation and the relative humidity have also been developed from the BDMS weather data. Finally, an artificial neural network (ANN) model has been developed for training and testing the solar radiation data with the inputs of temperature and relative humidity, and a coefficient of determination of around 99% was achieved. This set of data containing all the aforementioned results may serve as a guideline on the solar radiation pattern in the geographical areas around the equator.

  11. Causes of shortage and delay in material supply: a preliminary study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rahman, M. M.; Yap, Y. H.; Ramli, N. R.; Dullah, M. A.; Shamsuddin, M. S. W.

    2017-11-01

    Shortage and delay in materials supply is argued to be one of the most important factors that lead to delay in construction project delivery globally. However, the relevant underlying reasons vary from country to country. As such, this paper summarises the outcomes of a study that targeted identifying causes of shortage and delay in materials supply in Brunei Darussalam. The study was conducted through fifteen semi-structured interviews of contractors and materials suppliers in Brunei. The study identified six causes of shortageof materials and nine causes of delay in materials supply in Brunei. The most importantcausefor shortage of materials relates to the origin or availability of construction materials. On the other hand, the most influential cause of delay in material supply was found to be poor materials procurement and inventory management system, which has other underlying reasons such as late identification of the type of materials needed. The observations are expected to help in formulating or reviewing relevant policies, in order to ensure on-time project delivery.

  12. A preliminary assessment of asymptomatic bacteriuria of pregnancy in brunei darussalam.

    PubMed

    Muharram, Siti Hanna; Ghazali, Siti Nur Bazilah; Yaakub, Hajah Roselina; Abiola, Oduola

    2014-03-01

    Asymptomatic bacteriuria describes a condition in which urine culture reveals a significant growth of pathogenic bacteria, specifically greater than 10(5) of colony-forming units per millilitre of urine. It has a direct bearing on the health of a pregnant woman, her pregnancy and consequently the foetus. Thus, this study investigated the prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria of pregnancy in Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital, the premiere tertiary hospital in Brunei Darussalam. A total of 170 pregnant women who were visiting the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at RIPAS Hospital for routine antenatal care between February and March 2011 volunteered for this cross-sectional study. They did not present with any clinical symptoms of bacteriuria or indeed any other illness. They were investigated for bacteriuria by urine microscopy, culture, and sensitivity. Urine samples from seven of the women produced significant bacterial growth, showing a prevalence of 4.1%. The organisms isolated were Klebsiella species (2.94%) and Escherichia coli (1.18%); these bacteria were both sensitive to amoxicillin, vancomycin, tetracycline, and erythromycin. Brunei has a similar prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria to other South-East Asian countries.

  13. Contributions of sociodemographic factors to criminal behavior

    PubMed Central

    Mundia, Lawrence; Matzin, Rohani; Mahalle, Salwa; Hamid, Malai Hayati; Osman, Ratna Suriani

    2016-01-01

    We explored the extent to which prisoner sociodemographic variables (age, education, marital status, employment, and whether their parents were married or not) influenced offending in 64 randomly selected Brunei inmates, comprising both sexes. A quantitative field survey design ideal for the type of participants used in a prison context was employed to investigate the problem. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis with backward elimination identified prisoner marital status and age groups as significantly related to offending. Furthermore, hierarchical multinomial logistic regression analysis with backward elimination indicated that prisoners’ age, primary level education, marital status, employment status, and parental marital status as significantly related to stealing offenses with high odds ratios. All 29 nonrecidivists were false negatives and predicted to reoffend upon release. Similarly, all 33 recidivists were projected to reoffend after release. Hierarchical binary logistic regression analysis revealed age groups (24–29 years and 30–35 years), employed prisoner, and primary level education as variables with high likelihood trends for reoffending. The results suggested that prisoner interventions (educational, counseling, and psychotherapy) in Brunei should treat not only antisocial personality, psychopathy, and mental health problems but also sociodemographic factors. The study generated offending patterns, trends, and norms that may inform subsequent investigations on Brunei prisoners. PMID:27382342

  14. A Preliminary Assessment of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria of Pregnancy in Brunei Darussalam

    PubMed Central

    MUHARRAM, Siti Hanna; GHAZALI, Siti Nur Bazilah; YAAKUB, Hajah Roselina; ABIOLA, Oduola

    2014-01-01

    Background: Asymptomatic bacteriuria describes a condition in which urine culture reveals a significant growth of pathogenic bacteria, specifically greater than 105 of colony-forming units per millilitre of urine. It has a direct bearing on the health of a pregnant woman, her pregnancy and consequently the foetus. Thus, this study investigated the prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria of pregnancy in Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital, the premiere tertiary hospital in Brunei Darussalam. Methods: A total of 170 pregnant women who were visiting the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at RIPAS Hospital for routine antenatal care between February and March 2011 volunteered for this cross-sectional study. They did not present with any clinical symptoms of bacteriuria or indeed any other illness. They were investigated for bacteriuria by urine microscopy, culture, and sensitivity. Results: Urine samples from seven of the women produced significant bacterial growth, showing a prevalence of 4.1%. The organisms isolated were Klebsiella species (2.94%) and Escherichia coli (1.18%); these bacteria were both sensitive to amoxicillin, vancomycin, tetracycline, and erythromycin. Conclusion: Brunei has a similar prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria to other South-East Asian countries. PMID:24876805

  15. Antibacterial properties of parasitic mistletoe - Scurrula ferruginea (Jack) Danser of Brunei Darussalam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    David, Sheba R.; Amni Adam, Amira; Rajabalaya, Rajan

    2017-12-01

    Natural products especially from plants have become subject of much interest in drug discovery. Scurrula ferruginea is parasitic mistletoe used traditionally to treat various illnesses. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential antibacterial effect of Scurrula ferruginea native to Brunei Darussalam. The plants were collected from Brunei-Muara district air-dried, pulverized into powder, extracted by water maceration and freeze dried. Later, the extract was screened by disc-diffusion assay for two bacterial strains. The positive controls were Gentamycin and Ampicillin for Staphylococcus aureus while Sulphamethoxazole was used for Escherichia coli. Dimethyl sulfoxide was the negative control for both strains. 100, 200 and 500 mg/ml of the extract were used for the assays. The extracts did not show any inhibition activity against Escherichia coli, while sulphamethoxazole, showed inhibition of 24 mm. Ampicillin, Gentamycin, 100 and 500 mg/ml extract exhibited 29, 20, 8.3 and 10.7 mm inhibition zone, respectively against Staphylococcus aureus. There was an increase in zone of inhibition on Staphylococcus aureus strain with increase in extract concentration. Further investigations including Minimum Inhibition Concentration and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration methods as well as investigation on additional bacterial strains will be conducted for confirmation of antibacterial effect of the extract.

  16. 8 CFR 217.2 - Eligibility.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ..., Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland..., Norway, Portugal, Republic of Korea, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden...

  17. 8 CFR 217.2 - Eligibility.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ..., Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland..., Norway, Portugal, Republic of Korea, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden...

  18. 8 CFR 217.2 - Eligibility.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ..., Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland..., Norway, Portugal, Republic of Korea, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden...

  19. 8 CFR 217.2 - Eligibility.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ..., Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland..., Norway, Portugal, Republic of Korea, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden...

  20. Knowledge, attitude and practice of oral and dental healthcare in pregnant women.

    PubMed

    Bamanikar, Sunita; Kee, Liew Kok

    2013-07-01

    Pregnant women are more susceptible to periodontal disease like gingivitis. Periodontal disease may be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. There is no published literature on dental health in pregnant women in Brunei, Darussalam. The objective of this study was to assess women's knowledge and attitude towards oral and dental health during pregnancy and to examine their self-care practices in relation to oral and dental health. This study was carried out at the maternal child health clinic, Jubli Perak Sengkurong Health Centre, Brunei, Darussalam. This was a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study conducted at the maternal child health center in Brunei, Darussalam. The study group was comprised of 95 pregnant women attending the MCH clinic, Jubli Perak Sengkurong Health Centre, September 2010, using convenience sampling method. A self-administered questionnaire was used, after it was pre-tested and validated. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version16. Of the total study group, 97.9% responded to the questionnaire and participated in the study. All the women brushed at least twice daily. However, only 40.9% flossed daily, 31.2% brushed after meals and 26.9% had a dental check-up at least twice a year. The knowledge related to dental care was also poor among the pregnant women. Though the majority of them (96.8%) agreed that women should have a dental check-up during pregnancy, only 55.9% actually practiced this. This raises serious concern since pregnant women may need extra oral and dental care due to susceptibility to gum diseases during pregnancy, which may contribute to low birth weight babies and premature births. This study highlights important gaps in dental knowledge and practices related to oral and dental healthcare among pregnant women in Brunei, Darussalam. More intense dental health education, including oral health promotion in maternal child health centers can lead to improved oral and dental health, and ultimately pregnancy outcomes.

  1. Whistle description of Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris) in Bay of Brunei, Sarawak, Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Muhamad, Hairul Masrini; Xu, Xiaomei; Zhang, Xuelei; Jaaman, Saifullah Arifin; Muda, Azmi Marzuki

    2018-05-01

    Studies of Irrawaddy dolphins' acoustics assist in understanding the behaviour of the species and thereby conservation of this species. Whistle signals emitted by Irrawaddy dolphin within the Bay of Brunei in Malaysian waters were characterized. A total of 199 whistles were analysed from seven sightings between January and April 2016. Six types of whistles contours named constant, upsweep, downsweep, concave, convex, and sine were detected when the dolphins engaged in traveling, foraging, and socializing activities. The whistle durations ranged between 0.06 and 3.86 s. The minimum frequency recorded was 443 Hz [Mean = 6000 Hz, standard deviation (SD) = 2320 Hz] and the maximum frequency recorded was 16 071 Hz (Mean = 7139 Hz, SD = 2522 Hz). The mean frequency range (F.R.) for the whistles was 1148 Hz (Minimum F.R. = 0 Hz, Maximum F.R. = 4446 Hz; SD = 876 Hz). Whistles in the Bay of Brunei were compared with population recorded from the waters of Matang and Kalimantan. The comparisons showed differences in whistle duration, minimum frequency, start frequency, and number of inflection point. Variation in whistle occurrence and frequency may be associated with surface behaviour, ambient noise, and recording limitation. This will be an important element when planning a monitoring program.

  2. 48 CFR 52.219-1 - Small Business Program Representations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... provision: Small Business Program Representations (APR 2011) (a)(1) The North American Industry..., Singapore, Brunei, Japan, China, Taiwan, Laos, Cambodia (Kampuchea), Vietnam, Korea, The Philippines, U.S...

  3. Current Research in Southeast Asia.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beh, Yolanda

    1990-01-01

    Summaries of eight language-related research projects are presented from Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Topics include children's reading, nonstandard spoken Indonesian, English speech act performance, classroom verbal interaction, journal writing, and listening comprehension. (LB)

  4. Indonesia: Sumatra

    Atmospheric Science Data Center

    2013-04-16

    article title:  Smoke over Sumatra, Indonesia     View Larger Image ... the onset of a weak to moderate El Niño. The governments of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei have agreed to ban open burning in plantation ...

  5. A review of world Diallactiini (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae, Winnertziinae), with the description of six new genera and seventeen new species.

    PubMed

    Jaschhof, Mathias

    2016-06-23

    Fossil and extant Diallactiini, which are mycophagous Cecidomyiidae (gall midges), are reviewed globally for the first time. Johnsonomyia Felt, 1908 stat. rev. is restored from synonymy with Haplusia Karsch, 1877 (with Chastomera Skuse, 1888 confirmed as a junior synonym) and both genera are re-defined. Haplusia funebris Plakidas, 2007 and Wyattella lobata Yukawa, 1968 are newly combined in Johnsonomyia. Gynapteromyia Mamaev, 1965 is shown to be a species-rich, almost cosmopolitan genus, which absorbs several of the species previously classified in Haplusia or Chastomera. Gynapteromyia brevipalpis (Mamaev, 1964) comb. nov., G. heteroptera (Mamaev & Spungis, 1980) comb. nov., G. hondrui (Mamaev, 1964) comb. nov., G. indica (Grover, 1971) comb. nov., G. longipalpis (Mamaev, 1964) comb. nov., and G. stricta (Fedotova & Sidorenko, 2005) comb. nov. are all new combinations. †Palaeocolpodia eocenica Meunier, 1904 is considered to be a nomen dubium. Prior to the present study, the tribe Diallactiini contained 28 extant species classified in 6 genera. Previously unworked specimens of Diallactiini gathered by the author in the past 15 years were examined and identified as belonging to 57 different species, all unnamed. From that material, the following new taxa are described: Bruneiplusia gen. nov. (from Brunei), B. kaspraki sp. nov., Gynapteromyia costaricensis sp. nov. (Costa Rica), G. furcata sp. nov. (Costa Rica), G. novaezealandiae sp. nov. (New Zealand), G. tasmanica sp. nov. (Australia), G. temburong sp. nov. (Brunei), G. tenuistylata sp. nov. (Brunei), Haplusia afrotropica sp. nov. (South Africa), Japoplusia gen. nov. (Japan), Jap. honshuensis sp. nov., Johnsonomyia scabra sp. nov. (Costa Rica), John. serrata sp. nov. (South Africa), Loboplusia gen. nov. (Costa Rica), L. zurqui sp. nov., Makrostyles gen. nov. (Costa Rica), Makr. terrifica sp. nov., Mikrostyles gen. nov. (Brunei), Mikr. angustilobata sp. nov., Mikr. latolobata sp. nov., Wahabia gen. nov. (Brunei), Wah. mantici sp. nov., and Wyattella japonica sp. nov. (Japan). A key to the genera of Diallactiini based on male characters is presented. Diallactiini are shown to be a remarkably diverse group in terms of adult morphology. The genitalia of some male Diallactiini represent the most strongly modified such structures known in Winnertziinae. Morphological novelties found in Diallactiini, but no other Cecidomyiidae, include the fringed leg setae of Loboplusia and the furcate palpal sensilla in some Gynapteromyia and Mikrostyles. Diallactiini occur in all zoogeographic regions, with the highest generic and specific diversity found in the tropics (although Afrotropical diallactiines are poorly researched). Local diversity is also highest in the tropics, with as many as 29 species (unnamed or named in this paper) of at least 6 genera found at a single site, Zurquí de Moravia, in the cloud forest of Costa Rica. The best-explored fauna of Winnertziinae, including Diallactiini, is certainly that of Europe, but diallactiine biodiversity there is low and most of the nine European species are rarely encountered in the field. Gynapteromyia brevipalpis is reported from Sweden for the first time.

  6. 75 FR 32835 - Aviation Proceedings, Agreements Filed the Week Ending May 29, 2010

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-09

    ... of the International Air Transport Association. Subject: Mail Vote 634--Resolution 010x, TC3 Special Passenger Amending Resolution From Brunei Darussalam to South East Asia (Memo 1386), Intended effective date...

  7. China’s Economic Conditions

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-06-27

    billion), Dell Computer ($2.1 billion), Hewlett Packard ($1.3 billion), and Kodak ($0.6 billion). 11 Communications equipment, computers, and other...of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries are Indonesia, Malaysia , the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar

  8. China’s Economic Conditions

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-03-11

    billion), Dell Computer ($2.1 billion), Hewlett Packard ($1.3 billion), and Kodak ($0.6 billion). 11 Communications equipment, computers, and other...Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries are Indonesia, Malaysia , the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (Burma

  9. The total antioxidant capacity and fluorescence imaging of selected plant leaves commonly consumed in Brunei Darussalam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Watu, Aswani; Metussin, Nurzaidah; Yasin, Hartini M.; Usman, Anwar

    2018-02-01

    We investigated the total antioxidant capacity and fluorescence imaging of several selected plants, namely Centella asiatica, Aidia borneensis and Anacardium occidentale, which are grown and traditionally consumed in Brunei Darussalam. The total antioxidant capacities of aqueous-methanolic infusions of their leaves were measured by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity, and microscopic fluorescence images were measured to identify the fluorescent substances bound in the leaves. We found that the total antioxidant capacity of their infusions is estimated to be 150, 25, 15 folds, respectively, lower compared with that of the standard gallic acid. Accordingly, we demonstrated that the relative antioxidant activity of young and matured leaves agrees with the intensity of red light emission of their fresh leaves upon UV excitation. Thus, this non-invasive spectroscopic method can be potentially utilized to indicate the antioxidants in plant leaves qualitatively.

  10. When a Bilingual Child Describes Living Things: An Analysis of Conceptual Understandings from a Language Perspective

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Salleh, Romaizah; Venville, Grady J.; Treagust, David F.

    2007-07-01

    With increasing numbers of students learning science through a second language in many school contexts, there is a need for research to focus on the impact language has on students’ understanding of science concepts. Like other countries, Brunei has adopted a bilingual system of education that incorporates two languages in imparting its curriculum. For the first three years of school, Brunei children are taught in Malay and then for the remainder of their education, instruction is in English. This research is concerned with the influence that this bilingual education system has on children’s learning of science. The purpose was to document the patterns of Brunei students’ developing understandings of the concepts of living and non-living things and examine the impact in the change in language as the medium of instruction. A cross-sectional case study design was used in one primary school. Data collection included an interview ( n = 75), which consisted of forced-response and semi-structured interview questions, a categorisation task and classroom observation. Data were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. The results indicate that the transition from Malay to English as the language of instruction from Primary 4 onwards restricted the students’ ability to express their understandings about living things, to discuss related scientific concepts and to interpret and analyse scientific questions. From a social constructivist perspective these language factors will potentially impact on the students’ cognitive development by limiting the expected growth of the students’ understandings of the concepts of living and non-living things.

  11. Current Research in Southeast Asia.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beh, Yolanda

    1992-01-01

    Summaries of eight language-related research projects are presented from Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Topics include a sociolinguistic profile, teacher and learner views of language lessons, Malay-accented English and employability, reading difficulties, language culture disjunction, placement interviews, and…

  12. China: The Awakened Dragon

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-04-01

    United States should abandon the issues of human rights or censorship ; however, U.S. leaders should limit open criticism of China over issues the...Paracels, Spratlys, Macclesfield Bank, and Pratas. Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia , Vietnam, the Philippines, and Taiwan also in part, lay claim to the

  13. China’s Economic Conditions

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-09-16

    include Motorola ($5.8 billion in sales volume), General Motors ($2.2 billion), Dell Computer ($2.1 billion), Hewlett Packard ($1.3 billion), and...member countries are Indonesia, Malaysia , the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (Burma), and Vietnam. Major Chinese Trade

  14. Restoration of original 3D sedimentary geometries in deformed basin fill supporting reservoir characterization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Back, S.

    2009-04-01

    A large progradational clastic system centred on Brunei Darussalam has been present on the NW Borneo margin since the early middle Miocene. This system has many sedimentary and structural similarities with major deltaic provinces such as the Niger and Nile. It differs from these systems by being affected in the hinterland by contemporaneous compressional tectonics. Uplift partially forced strong progradation of the clastic system, but also folded older deltaic units. Erosion and the exhumation of folded strata in the area of the Jerudong Anticline resulted in the exposure of large-scale prograding clinoforms and syn-sedimentary deltaic faults of middle Miocene age along a natural cross-section of several tens of kilometres in extent. Westward of the key outcrop sites on the Jerudong Anticline, the middle Miocene deltaic units are overlain by late Miocene, Pliocene and Quaternary clastics up to 3 kilometres thick. Both, the middle Miocene target units of this study as well as the late Miocene to recent overburden are recorded in the subsurface of the Belait Syncline on regional 2D seismic lines (total line length around 1400 km) and at 7 well locations. In this study, we integrate the available geophysical subsurface information with existing structural, sedimentological and geomorphological field data of the "classic" Jerudong Anticline exposures (e.g., Back et al. 2001, Morley et al. 2003, Back et al. 2005) into a static 3D surface-subsurface model that provides quantitative constraints on the structural and stratigraphic architecture of the Miocene Belait delta and the overlying units in three dimensions, supporting basin-scale as well as reservoir-scale analysis of the subsurface rock volume. Additionally, we use the static surface-subsurface model as input for a tectonic retro-deformation of the study area, in which the 3D paleo-relief of the middle Miocene Belait delta is restored by unfolding and fault balancing (Back et al. 2008). This kinematic reconstruction ultimately provides a detailed view into the stratal architecture of middle Miocene delta clinoforms, indicating a close relationship between delta-lobe activity, clinoform morphology, and the generation of slumps and turbidites. Literature BACK, S., MORLEY, C.K., SIMMONS, M.D. & LAMBIASE, J.J. (2001): Depositional environment and sequence stratigraphy of Miocene deltaic cycles exposed along the Jerudong anticline, Brunei Darussalam. - Journal of Sedimentary Research, 71: 915-923. BACK, S., TIOE HAK JING, TRAN XUAN THANG & MORLEY, C.K. (2005): Stratigraphic development of synkinematic deposits in a large growth-fault system, onshore Brunei Darussalam. - Journal of the Geological Society, London, 162: 243-258. BACK, S., STROZYK, F., KUKLA, P.A. & LAMBIASE, J.J. (2008): 3D restoration of original sedimentary geometries in deformed basin fill, onshore Brunei Darussalam, NW Borneo. Basin Research, 20: 99-117. MORLEY, C.K., BACK, S., VANRENSBERGEN, P., CREVELLO, P. & LAMBIASE, J.J. (2003): Characteristics of repeated, detached, Miocene -Pliocene tectonic inversion events, in a large delta province on an active margin, Brunei Darussalam, Borneo. - Journal of Structural Geology, 25: 1147-1169.

  15. The Coast Guard’s Critical Role as an Armed Service

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-03-22

    security authorities. Although the Revenue Cutter Service under the Department of the Treasury was primarily responsible for the enforcement of taxation ...maritime exercises with Brunei, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia .15 Coast Guard cutters and Law Enforcement Detachments (LEDETs

  16. Status of the undisturbed mangroves at Brunei Bay, East Malaysia: a preliminary assessment based on remote sensing and ground-truth observations

    PubMed Central

    Izzaty Horsali, Nurul Amira; Mat Zauki, Nurul Ashikin; Otero, Viviana; Nadzri, Muhammad Izuan; Ibrahim, Sulong; Husain, Mohd-Lokman; Dahdouh-Guebas, Farid

    2018-01-01

    Brunei Bay, which receives freshwater discharge from four major rivers, namely Limbang, Sundar, Weston and Menumbok, hosts a luxuriant mangrove cover in East Malaysia. However, this relatively undisturbed mangrove forest has been less scientifically explored, especially in terms of vegetation structure, ecosystem services and functioning, and land-use/cover changes. In the present study, mangrove areal extent together with species composition and distribution at the four notified estuaries was evaluated through remote sensing (Advanced Land Observation Satellite—ALOS) and ground-truth (Point-Centred Quarter Method—PCQM) observations. As of 2010, the total mangrove cover was found to be ca. 35,183.74 ha, of which Weston and Menumbok occupied more than two-folds (58%), followed by Sundar (27%) and Limbang (15%). The medium resolution ALOS data were efficient for mapping dominant mangrove species such as Nypa fruticans, Rhizophora apiculata, Sonneratia caseolaris, S. alba and Xylocarpus granatum in the vicinity (accuracy: 80%). The PCQM estimates found a higher basal area at Limbang and Menumbok—suggestive of more mature vegetation, compared to Sundar and Weston. Mangrove stand structural complexity (derived from the complexity index) was also high in the order of Limbang > Menumbok > Sundar > Weston and supporting the perspective of less/undisturbed vegetation at two former locations. Both remote sensing and ground-truth observations have complementarily represented the distribution of Sonneratia spp. as pioneer vegetation at shallow river mouths, N. fruticans in the areas of strong freshwater discharge, R. apiculata in the areas of strong neritic incursion and X. granatum at interior/elevated grounds. The results from this study would be able to serve as strong baseline data for future mangrove investigations at Brunei Bay, including for monitoring and management purposes locally at present. PMID:29479500

  17. Prediction of employer-employee relationships from sociodemographic variables and social values in Brunei public and private sector workers.

    PubMed

    Mundia, Lawrence; Mahalle, Salwa; Matzin, Rohani; Nasir Zakaria, Gamal Abdul; Abdullah, Nor Zaiham Midawati; Abdul Latif, Siti Norhedayah

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to identify the sociodemographic variables and social value correlates and predictors of employer-employee relationship problems in a random sample of 860 Brunei public and private sector workers of both genders. A quantitative field survey design was used and data were analyzed by correlation and logistic regression. The rationale and justification for using this approach is explained. The main sociodemographic correlates and predictors of employer-employee relationship problems in this study were educational level and the district in which the employee resided and worked. Other correlates, but not necessarily predictors, of employer-employee relationship problems were seeking help from the Bomo (traditional healer); obtaining help from online social networking; and workers with children in the family. The two best and most significant social value correlates and predictors of employer-employee relationship problems included interpersonal communications; and self-regulation and self-direction. Low scorers on the following variables were also associated with high likelihood for possessing employer-employee relationship problems: satisfaction with work achievements; and peace and security, while low scorers on work stress had lower odds of having employer-employee relationship problems. Other significant social value correlates, but not predictors of employer-employee relationship problems were self-presentation; interpersonal trust; peace and security; and general anxiety. Consistent with findings of relevant previous studies conducted elsewhere, there were the variables that correlated with and predicted employer-employee relationship problems in Brunei public and private sector workers. Having identified these, the next step, efforts and priority should be directed at addressing the presenting issues via counseling and psychotherapy with affected employees. Further research is recommended to understand better the problem and its possible solutions.

  18. Prediction of employer–employee relationships from sociodemographic variables and social values in Brunei public and private sector workers

    PubMed Central

    Mundia, Lawrence; Mahalle, Salwa; Matzin, Rohani; Nasir Zakaria, Gamal Abdul; Abdullah, Nor Zaiham Midawati; Abdul Latif, Siti Norhedayah

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to identify the sociodemographic variables and social value correlates and predictors of employer–employee relationship problems in a random sample of 860 Brunei public and private sector workers of both genders. A quantitative field survey design was used and data were analyzed by correlation and logistic regression. The rationale and justification for using this approach is explained. The main sociodemographic correlates and predictors of employer–employee relationship problems in this study were educational level and the district in which the employee resided and worked. Other correlates, but not necessarily predictors, of employer–employee relationship problems were seeking help from the Bomo (traditional healer); obtaining help from online social networking; and workers with children in the family. The two best and most significant social value correlates and predictors of employer–employee relationship problems included interpersonal communications; and self-regulation and self-direction. Low scorers on the following variables were also associated with high likelihood for possessing employer–employee relationship problems: satisfaction with work achievements; and peace and security, while low scorers on work stress had lower odds of having employer–employee relationship problems. Other significant social value correlates, but not predictors of employer–employee relationship problems were self-presentation; interpersonal trust; peace and security; and general anxiety. Consistent with findings of relevant previous studies conducted elsewhere, there were the variables that correlated with and predicted employer–employee relationship problems in Brunei public and private sector workers. Having identified these, the next step, efforts and priority should be directed at addressing the presenting issues via counseling and psychotherapy with affected employees. Further research is recommended to understand better the problem and its possible solutions. PMID:28769597

  19. Oil and gas developments in Far East in 1984

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Soeparjadi, R.A.; Valachi, L.Z.; Sosromihardjo, S.

    1985-10-01

    In 1984, the Far East region was no exception to the general worldwide slowdown in petroleum activities, although exploration and production were maintained at relatively high rates. Exploratory drilling decreased by 14%, and development drilling was down by 7%. The slowdown in Indonesia, the most active country for which data are available, was the main reason for the overall decline. In contrast, Brunei, Burma, Pakistan significantly increased their exploration drilling. Seismic activity in the region was up by 6%. A significant increase in marine seismic acquisition occurred in India, whereas Indonesia, Burma, and Brunei had a slowdown. As in themore » past, Indonesia maintained its role as the most active country in the region. No detailed exploration data were available for the People's Republic of China. The bulk of the exploration efforts in the region took place in relatively mature areas; frontier areas had a relatively low level of activity. There were no major oil or gas discoveries in the region, although Brunei, Burma, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Thailand had multiple successes in finding modest hydrocarbon reserves. Record acreage awards were made in Pakistan and Thailand, in contrast to Indonesia where awards were at the lowest level in recent years. A general increase of farm-out offering reflected the need to spread the risk of large exploration commitments. Production of both oil and gas increased significantly. Output of crude and condensate was up by 10% (an increase of 445,000 BOPD). A 21% increase was achieved in gas production, mainly due to expansions at Mobil's Arun and Huffcoi's Bontang LNG plants in North Sumatra and East Kalimantan, respectively. 31 figures, 9 tables.« less

  20. Oil and gas developments in Far East in 1984

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Soeparjadi, R.A.; Sosromihardjo, S.; Valachi, L.Z.

    1985-10-01

    In 1984, the Far East region was no exception to the general worldwide slowdown in petroleum activities, although exploration and production were maintained at relatively high rates. Exploratory drilling decreased by 14%, and development drilling was down by 7%. The slowdown in Indonesia, the most active country for which data are available, was the main reason for the overall decline. In contrast, Brunei, Burma, and Pakistan significantly increased their exploration drilling. Seismic activity in the region was up by 6%. A significant increase in marine seismic acquisition occurred in India, whereas Indonesia, Burma, and Brunei had a slowdown. As inmore » the past, Indonesia maintained its role as the most active country in the region. No detailed exploration data were available for the People's Republic of China. The bulk of the exploration efforts in the region took place in relatively mature areas; frontier areas had a relatively low level of activity. There were no major oil or gas discoveries in the region, although Brunei, Burma, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Thailand had multiple successes in finding modest hydrocarbon reserves. Record acreage awards were made in Pakistan and Thailand, in contrast to Indonesia where awards were at the lowest level in recent years. A general increase in farm-out offerings reflected the need to spread the risk of large exploration commitments. Production of both oil and gas increased significantly. Output of crude and condensate was up by 10% (an increase of 445,000 BOPD). A 21% increase was achieved in gas production, mainly due to expansions at Mobil's Arun and Huffco's Bontang LNG plants in North Sumatra and East Kalimantan, respectively.« less

  1. 78 FR 15351 - International Trade Administration

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-03-11

    .... \\1\\ ASEAN Member countries include, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the... generation safety standards. The revised nuclear capacity target for 2020 is now 58 GWe. During the same timeframe, the State Council approved the 12th Five- Year Plan for Nuclear Safety and Radioactive Pollution...

  2. Exemplary Training Models in Industrial Technology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hatton, Michael J., Comp.

    Prepared by Canadian, Chinese Taipei, and Thai educational agencies and based on surveys of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation member nations, this report provides descriptions of 52 exemplary industrial technology training models in Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, the People's Republic…

  3. A study into psychosocial factors as predictors of work-related fatigue.

    PubMed

    Rahman, Hanif Abdul; Abdul-Mumin, Khadizah; Naing, Lin

    2016-07-14

    To explore and determine relationship between psychosocial factors and work-related fatigue among emergency and critical care nurses in Brunei. Cross-sectional study conducted on all emergency and critical care nurses across Brunei public hospitals from February to April 2016. 201 nurses participated in the study (82% response rate). A total of 36% of the variance of chronic fatigue was explained by stress, trust in management, decision latitude, self-rated health, and work-family conflict. Burnout, self-rated health, commitment to workplace, and trust in management explained 30% of the variance of acute fatigue. Stress, work-family conflict and reward explained 28% of the variance of intershift recovery after controlling for significant sociodemographic variables. Smoking was identified as an important sociodemographic factor for work-related fatigue. Psychosocial factors were good predictors of work-related fatigue. A range of psychosocial factors were established, however more research is required to determine all possible causation factors of nurses' work-related fatigue.

  4. Setting up a Neuroscience Stroke and Rehabilitation Centre in Brunei Darussalam by a transcontinental on-site and telemedical cooperation.

    PubMed

    Meyding-Lamadé, U; Bassa, B; Craemer, E; Jacobi, C; Chan, C; Hacke, W; Kress, B

    2017-02-01

    Due to the world-wide aging population, there is a need for specialist neurological knowledge, treatment and care. Stroke treatment is effective in reducing mortality and disability, but it is still not available in many areas of the world. We describe the set-up process of a specialized Neuroscience, Stroke and Rehabilitation Centre in Brunei Darussalam (BNSRC) in cooperation with a German hospital. This study details the setup of a stroke-, neurological intensive care- and neurorehabilitation unit, laboratories and a telemedical network to perform all evidence-based stroke treatments. All neurological on-site services and the telemedical network were successfully established within a short time. After setup, 1386 inpatients and 1803 outpatients with stroke and stroke mimics were treated. All evidence-based stroke treatments including thrombolysis and hemicraniectomy could be performed. It is possible to establish evidence-based modern stroke treatment within a short time period by a transcontinental on-site and telemedical cooperation.

  5. Rainfall interception from a lowland tropical rainforest in Brunei

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dykes, A. P.

    1997-12-01

    Results from a programme of throughfall measurements in a lowland tropical rainforest in Brunei, northwest Borneo, indicate that interception losses amount to 18% of the gross incident rainfall. The high annual rainfall experienced by the study area results in annual interception losses of around 800 mm, which may result in total annual evapotranspiration losses significantly higher than in other rainforest locations. An improved version of Gash's analytical interception model is tested on the available data using assumed values for the "forest" parameters, and is found to predict interception losses extremely well. The model predictions are based on an estimated evaporation rate during rainfall of 0.71 mm h -1. This is significantly higher than has been reported in other tropical studies. It is concluded that these results are distinctive when compared with previous results from rainforests, and that further, detailed work is required to establish whether the enhanced evaporation rate is due to advective effects associated with the maritime setting of the study area.

  6. Bilingualism and National Development.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Gary M., Ed.; Ozog, A. Conrad K., Ed.

    1993-01-01

    The subject of bilingualism is especially important in Bruni, a country with a multilingual population and a bilingual education policy, and it was felt that an international conference which examined bilingualism and bilingual education in a variety of 'development' contexts would be useful in reviewing and fine tuning of Bruneis' already…

  7. 8 CFR 212.1 - Documentary requirements for nonimmigrants.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... special humanitarian concern; and (iv) Poses no threat to the welfare, safety or security of the United States, its territories, or commonwealths. Any potential threats to the welfare, safety, or security of...) of this section: Australia, Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea...

  8. 8 CFR 1236.1 - Apprehension, custody, and detention.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... representing Taiwan's interests in the United States. Costa Rica Cyprus Czech Republic Dominica Fiji Gambia... Armenia Azerbaijan Bahamas Barbados Belarus Belize Brunei Bulgaria China (People's Republic of) 2 2 When Taiwan nationals (who carry “Republic of China” passports) are detained, notification should be made to...

  9. 8 CFR 1236.1 - Apprehension, custody, and detention.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... representing Taiwan's interests in the United States. Costa Rica Cyprus Czech Republic Dominica Fiji Gambia... Armenia Azerbaijan Bahamas Barbados Belarus Belize Brunei Bulgaria China (People's Republic of) 2 2 When Taiwan nationals (who carry “Republic of China” passports) are detained, notification should be made to...

  10. 8 CFR 1236.1 - Apprehension, custody, and detention.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... representing Taiwan's interests in the United States. Costa Rica Cyprus Czech Republic Dominica Fiji Gambia... Armenia Azerbaijan Bahamas Barbados Belarus Belize Brunei Bulgaria China (People's Republic of) 2 2 When Taiwan nationals (who carry “Republic of China” passports) are detained, notification should be made to...

  11. 8 CFR 1236.1 - Apprehension, custody, and detention.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... representing Taiwan's interests in the United States. Costa Rica Cyprus Czech Republic Dominica Fiji Gambia... Armenia Azerbaijan Bahamas Barbados Belarus Belize Brunei Bulgaria China (People's Republic of) 2 2 When Taiwan nationals (who carry “Republic of China” passports) are detained, notification should be made to...

  12. Prediction of climate change in Brunei Darussalam using statistical downscaling model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hasan, Dk. Siti Nurul Ain binti Pg. Ali; Ratnayake, Uditha; Shams, Shahriar; Nayan, Zuliana Binti Hj; Rahman, Ena Kartina Abdul

    2017-06-01

    Climate is changing and evidence suggests that the impact of climate change would influence our everyday lives, including agriculture, built environment, energy management, food security and water resources. Brunei Darussalam located within the heart of Borneo will be affected both in terms of precipitation and temperature. Therefore, it is crucial to comprehend and assess how important climate indicators like temperature and precipitation are expected to vary in the future in order to minimise its impact. This study assesses the application of a statistical downscaling model (SDSM) for downscaling General Circulation Model (GCM) results for maximum and minimum temperatures along with precipitation in Brunei Darussalam. It investigates future climate changes based on numerous scenarios using Hadley Centre Coupled Model, version 3 (HadCM3), Canadian Earth System Model (CanESM2) and third-generation Coupled Global Climate Model (CGCM3) outputs. The SDSM outputs were improved with the implementation of bias correction and also using a monthly sub-model instead of an annual sub-model. The outcomes of this assessment show that monthly sub-model performed better than the annual sub-model. This study indicates a satisfactory applicability for generation of maximum temperatures, minimum temperatures and precipitation for future periods of 2017-2046 and 2047-2076. All considered models and the scenarios were consistent in predicting increasing trend of maximum temperature, increasing trend of minimum temperature and decreasing trend of precipitations. Maximum overall trend of Tmax was also observed for CanESM2 with Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 8.5 scenario. The increasing trend is 0.014 °C per year. Accordingly, by 2076, the highest prediction of average maximum temperatures is that it will increase by 1.4 °C. The same model predicts an increasing trend of Tmin of 0.004 °C per year, while the highest trend is seen under CGCM3-A2 scenario which is 0.009 °C per year. The highest change predicted for the Tmin is therefore 0.9 °C by 2076. The precipitation showed a maximum trend of decrease of 12.7 mm year. It is also seen in the output using CanESM2 data that precipitation will be more chaotic with some reaching 4800 mm per year and also producing low rainfall about 1800 mm per year. All GCMs considered are consistent in predicting it is very likely that Brunei is expected to experience more warming as well as less frequent precipitation events but with a possibility of intensified and drastically high rainfalls in the future.

  13. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    New fields are being added even while recent finds are brought on using floating production systems and gas pipelines. Intensive workover/redrilling continues in older onshore provinces. The paper discusses exploration, development, drilling and production in China, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Viet Nam, Pakistan, Myanmar, Brunei, and the Philippines, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Japan, Mongolia, and Taiwan are briefly mentioned.

  14. A Delphi Survey on Citizenship Education in Asean Countries: Findings for Brunei

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Salleh, Hajah Sallimah Haji Mohammed; Laxman, Kumar; Jawawi, Rosmawijah

    2015-01-01

    The aim of the Delphi Survey was to elucidate Bruneian Education experts' responses to five questions regarding their knowledge and understanding of the charateristics of citizenship education viz. Environment, Coexistence, Culture, Social Justice and Equity, Democracy, Sustainable Development, Interdependence, Foreign Language, Social Welfare,…

  15. The Interaction of Cognitive Styles with Varying Levels of Feedback in Multimedia Presentation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khine, Myint Swe

    1996-01-01

    Study of 105 Brunei secondary school students investigating interactive effects of feedback levels using aptitude treatment interaction (ATI) approach and cognitive styles (field dependent-independent (FDI) in multimedia presentations found differences between no feedback (NF) and knowledge of results (KOR), NF and elaborated feedback (EF), none…

  16. JPRS Report, East Asia, Southeast Asia

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-06-07

    Brunei, the Malaysian high commissioner to the UK, Datuk Jamaluddin Abu Bakar , stated his hope that Britain would use its influence among EEC nations by...allegiance on the occasion of the birthday of the Sultan of Kelantan, Senator Hussein said, "That was nothing unusual, and I was not surprised." The senator

  17. Attitudes and Achievement of Bruneian Science Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dhindsa, Harkirat S.; Chung, Gilbert

    2003-01-01

    Evaluates attitudes towards and achievement in science of Form 3 students studying in single-sex and coeducational schools in Brunei. Results demonstrated significant differences in attitudes towards and achievement in science of male and female students in single-sex schools and students in coeducational schools. (Contains 46 references.)…

  18. Integrating the Use of Interdisciplinary Learning Activity Task in Creating Students' Mathematical Knowledge

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mahanin, Hajah Umisuzimah Haji; Shahrill, Masitah; Tan, Abby; Mahadi, Mar Aswandi

    2017-01-01

    This study investigated the use of interdisciplinary learning activity task to construct students' knowledge in Mathematics, specifically on the topic of scale drawing application. The learning activity task involved more than one academic discipline, which is Mathematics, English Language, Art, Geography and integrating the Brunei Darussalam…

  19. Maritime Domain Awareness: The Key to Maritime Security Operational Challenges and Technical Solutions

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-06-01

    series with the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia , Brunei, and the United States. Another example of regional collaboration is the South East...computers to choose from producers such as Sony , Fujitsu, Compaq, Toshiba, Macintosh or a custom-built PC. The selection depends on factors such as

  20. Measuring the Comprehensibility of Englishes within ASEAN among Aseans

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilang, Jeffrey Dawala; Teo, Adisa

    2012-01-01

    This paper focuses on designing a comprehensibility test and a questionnaire for spoken world Englishes in Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore, and utilizing the test to investigate the comprehension of Burmese, Cambodians, Indonesians, Laotians, Thais and Vietnamese. We reviewed the demarcation of users of English based on Kachru's…

  1. Promoting Japan and South Korea’s Role in East Asian Security

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-02-01

    activity. 29 The Spratly Islands are currently claimed by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia , Brunei, and the Philippines30 while the Paracel Islands...The National Diet of Japan, The Constitution of Japan, November 3, 1946, linked from the House of Councillors Homepage, http://www.sangiin.go.jp/eng

  2. U.S.-China Partnership: Building Regional Synergy for Stability and Security of the Korean Peninsula

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-03-01

    control on its populace. For over sixty years, these controls have included extensive censorship of information in and out of the country. A...Anniversary Summit in 2007, the 10 full ASEAN Members (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia , Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam

  3. Regional Education Profile: Asia. China, Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Institute of International Education, New York, NY.

    Developments in international education in Asia during 1985 are considered in three essays presented in the Biennial International Education Seminars conducted by the Institute of International Education. Countries covered by the essays and the authors are: China, Hong Kong, and Thailand (Jay Henderson); Macau (Josef Silny and Jay Henderson); and…

  4. Sponsoring Asia-Pacific Security: PACOM’s Role in Reconciling Bilateral and Multilateral Security Structures

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-05-13

    developing closer ties with" ASEAN.54 China’s "string of pearls," a series of forward maritime operating bases in Pakistan, Myanmar , and Sri Lanka...571. 19 8. The thirteen original member states include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar , Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and

  5. Societal Perceptions of Agriculture: A Brunei Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dhindsa, Harkirat S.; Md-Hamdilah, Amhra-Zawatil-Amal

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of Bruneian lower secondary students, and, their teachers and parents of agriculture. Design/methodology/approach: The sample of the study was 151 lower secondary agriculture students, and, their 138 parents and eight teachers. The data, using one-shot case study (pre-experimental…

  6. The Publishing of Library and Information Science Journals in Southeast Asia--An Overview.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yeow-fei, Jaffe Yee

    This paper presents an overview of the present state of the publishing activities of library and information science journals in Southeast Asia, focusing on format, circulation/readership, quality, and editorial focus. It also highlights some of the important titles from Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei, Vietnam,…

  7. Service Children's Education: Survey of Parental Views. Final Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Donnell, Lisa; Rudd, Peter

    2007-01-01

    Service Children's Education (SCE) is an agency of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) that is dedicated to the education of children of service families and MOD personnel serving outside of the United Kingdom, specifically in Belgium, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Cyprus, Gibraltar, Falkland Islands, Belize and Brunei. These schools follow the…

  8. Strategic Forum. August 2013. The Rebalance to Asia: U.S.-China Relations and Regional Security

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-08-01

    overweighted in the Middle East and underweighted in the Asia-Pacific.3 The phrase rebalance to Asia was intended to highlight the region’s heightened...Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru , Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam). TPP is an example of “open

  9. 75 FR 3489 - U.S.-Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement: Advice on Probable Economic Effect of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-01-21

    ... Imports AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission. ACTION: Institution of investigation and... Duty-Free Treatment for Imports. DATES: February 16, 2010: Deadline for filing requests to appear at... negotiations for a free trade agreement with Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore...

  10. Modern Foraminifera from a depth transect offshore Brunei Darussalam: diversity, sedimentation rate and preservation pathways.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Briguglio, Antonino; Goeting, Sulia; Kusli, Rosnani; Roslim, Amajida; Polgar, Gianluca; Kocsis, Laszlo

    2016-04-01

    For this study, 11 samples have been collected by scuba diving from 5 to 35 meters water depth off shore Brunei Darussalam. The locations sampled are known as: Pelong Rock (5 samples, shallow reef with soft and stony corals and larger foraminifera, 5 to 8 meters water depth), Abana Rock (1 sample, shallow reef with mainly soft corals and larger foraminifera, 13 to 18 meters water depth), Oil Rig wreck (1 sample, very sandy bottom with larger foraminifera, 18 meters water depth), Dolphin wreck (1 sample, muddy sand with many small rotaliids, 24 meters water depth), US wreck, (1 sample, sand with small clay fraction, 28 meters water depth), Australian wreck (1 sample, mainly medium to coarse sand with larger foraminifera, 34 meters water depth) and Blue water wreck (1 sample, mainly coarse sand, coral rubble and larger foraminifera, 35 meters water depth). Those samples closer to the river inputs are normally richer in clay, while the most distant samples are purely sandy. Some additional samples have been collected next to reef environments which, even if very shallow, are mainly sandy with almost no clay fraction. The deepest sample, which is 30 km offshore, contains some planktonic foraminifera and is characterized by a large range of preservations concerning foraminifera, thus testifying the presence or relict sediments at the sea bottom. The presence of relict sediments was already pointed out by older oil-related field studies offshore Brunei Darussalam, and now it is possible to draw the depth limit of these deposits. The diversity of the benthic foraminiferal fauna is relatively high but not as higher as neighboring regions as some studies have highlighted. The species collected and identified are more than 50: in reef environment the most abundant are Calcarina defrancii, Neorotalia calcar and the amphisteginidae; deeper in the muddy sediments the most abundant is Pararotalia schroeteriana and in the deepest sandy sample the most abundant are Calcarina hispida, followed by Operculina ammonoides.

  11. Brunei's teacher education programs: insights into students' coping and help-seeking strategies to challenges.

    PubMed

    Mundia, Lawrence; Shahrill, Masitah; Jaidin, Jainatul Halida; Jawawi, Rosmawijah; Mahadi, Mar Aswandi

    2016-01-01

    Brunei started implementing its two main reformed teacher education programs, MTeach and MEd, in 2009. The reasons for these innovations included upgrading the standard of teacher training, increasing teaching effectiveness, and improving the quality of education in the country. The purpose of this study was to determine how student teachers coped with and sought help on the challenging programs. Using an online survey design, 76 randomly selected recent graduate teachers responded appropriately to questionnaires administered to them by email. The obtained quantitative research information included demographic, coping, and help-seeking data, all analyzed by SPSS Version 22. Participants endorsed both the productive and nonproductive coping strategies. In addition, they depended more on peers, teachers and internet sources for help. Four major findings were obtained. First, task-oriented coping was the most important and significant predictor of success on the MTeach and MEd programs. Second, females had a higher likelihood of success compared to males (OR = 22.760, 95 % CI for OR = 12.848-40.320). Third, students who consulted relevant internet resources had higher odds for succeeding compared to those who did not (OR = 2.237, 95 % CI 1.196-4.183). Fourth, less-able students who collaboratively worked with the more-able peers were nearly two times more likely to perform better than those who did not (OR = 1.982, 95 % CI 1.082-3.630). Coping and help-seeking were positively and significantly related to academic achievement on the two Brunei main teacher education programs. Evidence from the present study suggested that vulnerable and at-risk trainee teachers needed appropriate interventions (educational, counseling and psychotherapy) related to effective use of task-oriented coping and seeking help via cooperative learning, internet sources, and teacher consultations,. Further research with interview probes was recommended to gain additional information on the problem and its solutions.

  12. Characteristics and Pedagogical Behaviours of Good EFL Instructors: The Views of Selected Southeast Asian and Mexican SLTE Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richter, Kenneth G.; Lara Herrera, Romero

    2017-01-01

    This article reports on the views of selected Southeast Asian and Mexican second language teacher education students regarding the characteristics and pedagogical behaviours of good EFL instructors. A total of 116 participants from Mexico, Brunei, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Vietnam took part in the…

  13. Compulsory Education: Social Expectations. National Reports on the Theme for 1977 in Their Original Languages. 26th Assembly of Delegates.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    World Confederation of Organizations of the Teaching Profession, Morges (Switzerland).

    Reports prepared by various countries for presentation at the 1977 annual assembly of the World Confederation of Organizations of the Teaching Profession (WCOTP) are included in this document. The theme of the assembly was "Compulsory Education: Social Expectations." Countries reporting include: Austria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Ivory…

  14. High School Male and Female Learning-Style Similarities and Differences in Diverse Nations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Honigsfeld, Andrea; Dunn, Rita

    2003-01-01

    Investigated gender differences in the learning styles of high school boys and girls from Bermuda, Brunei, Hungary, Sweden, and New Zealand. Data from student surveys indicated that although boys' and girls' learning styles differed in numerous ways, individuals within each group were more unique then either group as a whole. Country-specific…

  15. Re-Engineering Values into the Youth Education System: A Needs Analysis Study in Brunei Darussalam

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zakaria, Gamal Abdul Nasir; Tajudeen, Ahmad Labeeb; Nawi, Aliff; Mahalle, Salwa

    2014-01-01

    This study aimed to present a practical framework for designing a values teaching program in the youth education system. The choice of content, the nature of the students with respect to learning and their perception about the selected content for teaching values were studied. The study follows a Needs analysis design which drew upon document…

  16. University Art Students Undertake Entrepreneurship Action in Brunei Darussalam

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Geiger-Ho, Martie; Ho, Kong

    2014-01-01

    The correlation between necessity and change is a well-proven social interaction that can result in a ripple effect that has far-reaching implications. Just as dropping a stone in still water causes ringed waves to spread out in all directions, the implementation of a new idea or even a new business in a community can send out ripples of change…

  17. Cultural learning environment of upper secondary science students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dhindsa, Harkirat S.

    2005-05-01

    The aims of this research were to validate the Cultural Learning Environment Questionnaire in the Brunei context and to evaluate culturally sensitive factors (gender equity, collaboration, deference, competition, teacher authority, modelling and congruence) of upper secondary students’ learning environment. The subjects of this study were 831 upper secondary science students from coeducational schools in Brunei. The data were collected by administering the Cultural Learning Environment Instrument developed by Fisher and Waldrip. Factor analysis and reliability results showed that the instrument was suitable for evaluating the six culturally sensitive factors associated with the cultural learning environment of Bruneian upper secondary students. The results also suggested that students believed both genders were treated equally in their classes. The students viewed that they were to some extent dependent learners; however, they were willing to give their independent views in their classes. The data also suggest that students perceived that they were equally cooperative and competitive. The culturally sensitive factors of the students’ cultural learning environment were not influenced by their gender, but regional variations in values for some of these factors were observed. Further research has been recommended to investigate how the students were equally cooperative and competitive, as well as what factors contributed to the regional differences.

  18. A descriptive study of Bruneian student nurses' perceptions of stress.

    PubMed

    Burnard, Philip; Haji Abd Rahim, Hajah Thaibah Binti P D P D D P; Hayes, Derek; Edwards, Deborah

    2007-10-01

    While much has been written about stress in nursing in the 'West', less research has been done on this issue in many 'Eastern' countries. This paper offers the findings of the first study of stress in student nurses in Brunei. The paper describes a study of 20 Brunei nursing students and their views about stress in nursing. A modified grounded theory approach was used in collecting and analysing data (and the 'modifications' are described). Findings were organised around the themes: stressors, moderators and outcomes [Carson, J., and Kuipers, E., 1998. Stress management interventions. In: Hardy, S., Carson, J., Thomas, B. (Eds.), Occupational Stress: Personal and Professional Approaches. Stanley Thornes, Cheltenham. pp. 157-174.]. Students often found their status as students caused them stress in the clinical setting: with other nurses, with doctors and even with patients. Academic related stressors included having to complete assignments and having to study in English. Various ways of moderating stress were reported including talking to 'trusted friends', engaging in sports or simply being quiet. Positive and negative outcomes of stress were identified: stress could lead to mental illness but, also, it could be motivating. This report concludes with a Weberian 'ideal type': a composite word-picture of the findings.

  19. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    The paper discusses the outlook for the gas and oil industries of the Far East. Large crude producing countries are upgrading their mature oil properties. Offshore gas fields are being found and developed as new pipeline infrastructures open several remote areas. Separate evaluations are given for China, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Viet Nam, Pakistan, Myanmar, Brunei, Philippines, and briefly for Cambodia, Bangladesh, Japan, Mongolia, Taiwan, Afghanistan, and the Malaysia-Thailand Joint Development Area.

  20. Reified Languages and Scripts versus Real Literacy Values and Practices: Insights from Research with Young Bilinguals in an Islamic State

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saxena, Mukul

    2011-01-01

    The main focus of this article is on the multilingual literacy practices and values of English-educated university students (aged 14-20) in Brunei Darussalam, Southeast Asia. Multilingual literacy is used as a lens to examine the impact of globalization on the communicative practices of these young people and to investigate the specific ways in…

  1. Rebalancing: The Cost of Shifting to the Pacific

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-03-01

    Iraq and Afghanistan.”3 2 While in Australia, President Obama highlighted some benefits of the increased presence in the Pacific. This change...to promote free trade with nine other countries: Australia, Brunei, Chili , Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. 6 In...The using unit is responsible for compiling with all customs and agricultural inspections requirements. To better convey the benefits of the

  2. Closure of U.S. Military Bases in the Philippines: Impact and Implications

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-04-15

    deterrence strategy. The Asia-Pacific Reqion The Asia-Pacific region, also called Western Pacific or East Asia, is a conflict-ridden, culturally diverse...economically dynamic, security sensitive region which has historically spawned a competitive arena for the major powers and their allies and the clash...Korea (North and South), China (Mainland and Taiwan), Hongkong , Vietnam, Laos, Kampuchea, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei

  3. Southeast Asia Report

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1984-03-14

    north of North Kalimantan , bordering Sarawak. Its capital is Bandar Seri Begawan which was formerly named Bandar Brunei. The area of the state is...the North Kalimantan National Liberation Movement became a growing threat to the British colonial position and interests in this region. To suppress...the progress made by the North Kalimantan people and increase local anticommunist strength as well as to grab North Kalimantan’s oil resources, the

  4. The Significance of Social Relationships in Learning to Become a Vocational and Technical Education Teacher: A Case Study of Three Individuals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goh, Adeline Yuen Sze

    2013-01-01

    This article about workplace learning examines the learning of individuals in becoming a Vocational and Technical Education (VTE) teacher in Brunei. Drawing on research findings from a group of student teachers, it presents case study accounts of three individuals to illustrate the importance of social relationships in learning to become a VTE…

  5. Late Miocene fossils from shallow marine sediments in Brunei Darussalam: systematics, palaeoenvironment and ecology.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roslim, Amajida; Briguglio, Antonino; Kocsis, László; Ćorić, Stjepan; Razak, Hazirah

    2016-04-01

    The geology of Brunei Darussalam is fascinating but difficult to approach: rainforests and heavy precipitation tend to erode and smoothen the landscape limiting rocks exposure, whereas abundant constructions sites and active quarries allow the creation of short time available outcrop, which have to be immediately sampled. The stratigraphy of Brunei Darussalam comprises mainly Neogene sediments deposited in a wave to tide dominated shallow marine environment in a pure siliciclastic system. Thick and heavily bioturbated sandstone layers alternate to claystone beds which occasionally yield an extraordinary abundance and diversity of fossils. The sandstones, when not bioturbated, are commonly characterized by a large variety of sedimentary structures (e.g., ripple marks, planar laminations and cross beddings). In this study, we investigate the sediments and the fossil assemblages to record the palaeoenvironmental evolution of the shallow marine environment during the late Miocene, in terms of sea level change, chemostratigraphy and sedimentation rate. The study area is one of the best in terms of accessibility, extension, abundance and preservation of fossils; it is located in the region -'Bukit Ambug' (Ambug Hill), Tutong District. The fossils fauna collected encompasses mollusks, decapods, otoliths, shark and ray teeth, amber, foraminifera and coccolithophorids. In this investigation, sediment samples were taken along a section which measures 62.5 meters. A thick clay layer of 9 meters was sampled each 30 cm to investigate microfossils occurrences. Each sample was treated in peroxide and then sieved trough 63 μm, 150μm, 250μm, 450μm, 600μm, 1mm and 2mm sieves. Results point on the changes in biodiversity of foraminifera along the different horizons collected reflecting sea level changes and sediment production. The most abundant taxa identified are Pseoudorotalia schroeteriana, Ampistegina lessonii, Elphidium advenum, Quinqueloculina sp., Bolivina sp., Globigerina sp. Coccolithophorids assemblage recovered from one horizon dates the sediment to the biozone NN11a due to the presence of Discoaster berggrenii and D. quinqueramus, which are both also warm water indicators. The absence of Amaurolithus primus reduces the stratigraphic range to the uppermost Tortonian only (˜7.5-8 Ma).

  6. Think Metric

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    ,

    1978-01-01

    The International System of Units, as the metric system is officially called, provides for a single "language" to describe weights and measures over the world. We in the United States together with the people of Brunei, Burma, and Yemen are the only ones who have not put this convenient system into effect. In the passage of the Metric Conversion Act of 1975, Congress determined that we also will adopt it, but the transition will be voluntary.

  7. Assessment of GenNEXT Learning Outcomes at the University of Brunei Darussalam: A Qualitative Review of Selected Opportunities, Benefits and Challenges in Human Resource Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mundia, Lawrence

    2012-01-01

    The commentary and overview explored how curriculum and assessment reforms are being used by a small university and small country to improve the quality of education and gain international recognition. Although the reforms are potentially beneficial to the students, university, and country, there are dilemmatic factors that may either enhance or…

  8. Pivot to the Pacific? The Obama Administration’s Rebalancing Toward Asia

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-03-28

    China’s cooperation on such issues as Iran and North Korea . The impression that the rebalancing seeks to counter China carries potential risks for U.S...policy priorities.23 21 ASEAN’s members are Brunei Darussalem, Burma ( Myanmar ), Cambodia, Indonesia...the Cold War primarily to counter perceived military threats from the Soviet Union and North Korea . 30 For more, see CRS Report RS22570, Guam: U.S

  9. Evaluating Students' Understanding of Kinetic Particle Theory Concepts Relating to the States of Matter, Changes of State and Diffusion: A Cross-National Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Treagust, David F.; Chandrasegaran, A. L.; Crowley, Julianne; Yung, Benny H. W.; Cheong, Irene P.-A.; Othman, Jazilah

    2010-01-01

    This paper reports on the understanding of three key conceptual categories relating to the kinetic particle theory: (1) intermolecular spacing in solids, liquids and gases, (2) changes of state and intermolecular forces and (3) diffusion in liquids and gases, amongst 148 high school students from Brunei, Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore using 11…

  10. Psychosocial factors, musculoskeletal disorders and work-related fatigue amongst nurses in Brunei: structural equation model approach.

    PubMed

    Abdul Rahman, Hanif; Abdul-Mumin, Khadizah; Naing, Lin

    2017-09-01

    Psychosocial factors, musculoskeletal disorders and work-related fatigue have adverse effects on individual nurses and place a substantial financial burden on health care. Evidence of an association has been reported in the literature, but no theoretical explanation has been published to date. To explore and develop a structural model to provide a theoretical explanation for this relationship. A cross-sectional study using data from 201 valid samples of emergency and critical care nurses across public hospitals in Brunei was performed via self-administered questionnaire. The structural equation model was assessed using partial least squares analysis. A valid and robust structural model was constructed. This revealed that 61.5% of the variance in chronic fatigue could be explained by psychosocial factors and musculoskeletal disorders pathways. Among the psychosocial factors, work-family conflict was identified as a key mediator for progression of musculoskeletal problems and subsequent fatigue through stress and burnout. This report provides a novel theoretical contribution to understanding the relationship between psychosocial factors, musculoskeletal disorders and work-related fatigue. These preliminary results may be useful for future studies on the development of work-related fatigue and musculoskeletal disorders, particularly the central role of work-family conflict. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Comparative height crown allometry and mechanical design in 22 tree species of Kuala Belalong rainforest, Brunei, Borneo.

    PubMed

    Osunkoya, Olusegun O; Omar-Ali, Kharunnisa; Amit, Norratna; Dayan, Juita; Daud, Dayanawati S; Sheng, Tan K

    2007-12-01

    In rainforests, trunk size, strength, crown position, and geometry of a tree affect light interception and the likelihood of mechanical failure. Allometric relationships of tree diameter, wood density, and crown architecture vs. height are described for a diverse range of rainforest trees in Brunei, northern Borneo. The understory species follow a geometric model in their diameter-height relationship (slope, β = 1.08), while the stress-elasticity models prevail (β = 1.27-1.61) for the midcanopy and canopy/emergent species. These relationships changed with ontogeny, especially for the understory species. Within species, the tree stability safety factor (SSF) and relative crown width decreased exponentially with increasing tree height. These trends failed to emerge in across-species comparisons and were reversed at a common (low) height. Across species, the relative crown depth decreased with maximum potential height and was indistinguishable at a common (low) height. Crown architectural traits influence SSF more than structural property of wood density. These findings emphasize the importance of applying a common reference size in comparative studies and suggest that forest trees (especially the understory group) may adapt to low light by having deeper rather than wider crowns due to an efficient distribution and geometry of their foliage.

  12. Record development expected in Indonesia and Malaysia. [Extensive survey of oil and gas developments

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1975-08-15

    Crude production from the countries of Indonesia, Australia, Brunei, Malaysia, and New Zealand averaged 2,043,866 bpd in 1974, a 1.2 percent decrease from 1973 average rates. Several new fields in Kalimantan, Java, and Sumatra were put onstream, and the prolific new 100,000-bpd Walio field in Irian Jaya was tapped. Australian crude production, primarily from Bass Strait fields, slipped to 386,127 bpd. The Australian government told of plans for the country's huge natural gas potential and a preliminary schedule was proposed for a multi-billion-dollar North West Shelf program involving Woodside-Burmah. In Brunei, Shell continued development of new offshore fields; but crudemore » production dropped to 192,708 bpd in 1974, from 229,277 bpd in 1973. Emphasis was on adding gas wells to the big Southwest Ampa offshore field; gas production increased last year to an estimated 500 MMcfd. At the start of 1975-before politics interfered-Malaysia was headed for a significant production increase. New Zealand intensified exploration with addition of the Penrod 74 semi-submersible, and a 400-foot, 12-well platform is under construction for the huge Maui gas field. Papua New Guinea is slowly approaching independence from Australia and exploration increased in the Gulf of Papua around Phillips' earlier gas discoveries.« less

  13. A review of the genus Tuberaleyrodes Takahashi (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) with description of five new species from Brunei, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Dubey, Anil Kumar; Martin, Jon H

    2018-03-28

    The whitefly genus Tuberaleyrodes Takahashi is reviewed using types and determined specimens. The generic diagnosis is redefined together with description of five new species: T. bruneiensis Dubey Martin sp. nov. from Brunei, T. crypta Dubey Martin sp. nov. from Hong Kong, and T. ordo Dubey Martin sp. nov., T. aequalis Dubey Martin sp. nov. and T. variabilis Dubey Martin sp. nov. from Malaysia. New species descriptions are accompanied with camera lucida drawings and microphotographs of holotype and paratypes. Tuberaleyrodes actinodaphnis Takahashi is elevated from its status as a variety of T. machili Takahashi to species level. Lectotypes are selected for T. actinodaphnis Takahashi Stat. nov. and T. bobuae Takahashi. Tuberaleyrodes actinodaphnis Takahashi is a new record to Taiwan. A new combination, Tuberaleyrodes glutae (Corbett) Comb. nov. is proposed for Dialeurodes glutae Corbett. Two species, T. glutae (Corbett) and Tuberaleyrodes spiniferosa (Corbett) are re-described, and placement of T. spiniferosa in the genus Tuberaleyrodes is confirmed. The genus Tuberaleyrodes is newly recorded from Borneo and Sulawesi. An identification key to puparia of Tuberaleyrodes species so far described is provided along with the countries of present records. Four plants families viz., Annonaceae, Fabaceae, Myristicaceae and Pentaphylacaeae are recorded as new hosts for Tuberaleyrodes species. New host plant records are indicated.

  14. The Role of ABRI in the Post-Suharto Era

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1999-06-04

    Nations. It includes Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia , Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar. DPR. Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat . People’s...Suharto’s rule from 1965 to 1998. 5Indonesia has territorial disputes with Malaysia over the Sipadan and Ligitan Islands and the Kalimantan border. It...of the ABRI’s role will be captured. The research design is summarized in figure 2. Existing models E.g. Thailand, Burma, - Malaysia . Latin America r

  15. To Stay or Not to Stay: Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations and Their Impact on Host Nation/Regional Stability

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-06-13

    School in partial satisfaction of the requirements of a Master of Science Degree in Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy. The contents of this...conflicted claims. Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia , Philippines and Brunei have continued to assert their territorial claims which have resulted in...In the United States, budget constraints and sequestration avoidance remain a concern as the administration and Congress manage the budget

  16. Energy in ASEAN: An outlook into the 21st century

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arismunandar, A.; Dupuis, P.

    The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was formed in Bangkok in 1967 by five countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. A sixth nation, recently independent Brunei Darussalam, joined the association in 1984. The story on enery in the ASEAN is presented. The topics covered include the following: energy resources; energy demand versus elasticity; how to cope with energy demand; and an outlook into the 21st century.

  17. Toward a Regional Triad -- The Nature of Future US Strategic Engagement in the South China Sea

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-12-14

    generally focused on Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) in the north . The East Sea Fleet, focused upon Taiwan in the center, is homeported at...Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Burma ( Myanmar ), Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. 30Colloquially, “the ASEAN Way”--their charter stresses the non...United States Department of Defense Foreign Military Sales Program INF Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty MEU U.S. Marine Expeditionary Unit

  18. The Dual Function of the Indonesian Armed Forces (Dwi Fungsi ABRI)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-12-01

    miles) from north to south. Indonesia’s 13,667 islands are nestled between two continents, Asia and Australia, and two oceans, the Indian and the...shares borders with Malaysia , Papua New Guinea and sea borders with Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and 9 Australia. Indonesia’s Exclusive...Asian Nation (ASEAN), which it co-founded in 1967 along with Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore. Brunei joined in 1984. Indonesia was

  19. Littoral Combat Ship: Additional Testing and Improved Weight Management Needed Prior to Further Investments

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-07-01

    monohull design with a steel hull and aluminum superstructure, while the Austal USA Independence variant (LCS 2 and other even- Background Seaframe...including Singapore; Malaysia ; Brunei; and Indonesia. The ship also conducted some real-world operations as directed by the 7th Fleet, such as...requirements for service life allowances already fall short of the growth margins called for under Navy and industry recommended practice.21 Table 8: Navy

  20. Implementation of Information Technology in the Free Trade Era for Indonesia

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1998-06-01

    computer usage, had been organized before Thailand, Malaysia , and China. Also, use of computers for crude oil process applications, and marketing and...seismic computing in Pertamina had been installed and in operation ahead of Taiwan, Malaysia , and Brunei. There are many examples of computer usage at...such as: Malaysia , Thailand, USA, China, Germany, and many others. Although IT development is utilized in Indonesia’s development program, it should

  1. Special Operations Forces in the People’s Liberation Army and the Development of an Integral Unconventional Warfare Mission

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-06-01

    ones that were tactically and technically proficient and rewarded for being so instead of PRC-friendly, politically reliable cannon fodder. The...China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN: Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia , Philippines, Singapore, Thailand...claim to them (116) over four other regional claimants (Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines), and it still reserves the right to reunify

  2. Epidemiology and Inequality in the Incidence and Mortality of Nasopharynx Cancer in Asia.

    PubMed

    Mahdavifar, Neda; Ghoncheh, Mahshid; Mohammadian-Hafshejani, Abdollah; Khosravi, Bahman; Salehiniya, Hamid

    2016-12-01

    One of the most common head and neck cancers is nasopharynx cancer. Knowledge about the incidence and mortality of this disease and its distribution in terms of geographical areas is necessary for further study and better planning. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of determining the incidence and mortality rates of nasopharynx cancer and its relationship with the Human Development Index (HDI) in Asia in 2012. The aim of this ecologic study was to assess the correlation between age-specific incidence rate (ASIR) and age-specific mortality rate (ASMR) with HDI and its components, which include the following: life expectancy at birth, mean years of schooling, and gross national income per capita. Data about SIR and SMR for every Asian country for 2012 were obtained from the global cancer project. We used the correlation bivariate method for the assessment. Statistical significance was assumed if p  < 0.05. All reported p values are two-sided. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS (Version 15.0, SPSS Inc.). A total of 68,272 cases (males, 71.02%; females, 28.97%; sex ratio, 2.45) and 40,530 mortalities (males, 71.63%; females, 28.36%; sex ratio, 2.52) were recorded in Asian countries in 2012. The five countries with the highest ASIR of nasopharynx cancer were Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Brunei, and the five countries with the highest ASMR were Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei. The correlation between HDI and ASIR was 0.097 ( p  = 0.520) [0.105 in men ( p  = 0.488) and 0.119 in women ( p  = 0.901)]. The correlation between HDI and ASMR was -0.102 ( p  = 0.502) [-0.072 in men ( p  = 0.633) and -0.224 in women ( p  = 0.134)]. Nasopharynx cancer is native to Southeast Asia. The highest incidence and mortality rates are found in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Brunei. No significant relation was found between the standardized incidence and mortality rates of nasopharynx cancer and the HDI components. Further studies are recommended in Southeast Asian countries in order to find the etiology of cancer, as well as its diagnosis and treatment.

  3. ASEAN’s Path to Regional Autonomy: Lessons Learned from the European Union

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-04-04

    Soviet Union, as well as China and Japan, in the region.”37 ASEAN has since expanded to include Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar , and Vietnam. The...ASEAN. ASEAN’s Path to Regional Autonomy 12 Both the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis and ASEAN expansion to Myanmar made it clear that something...international legitimacy if something were not done about human rights violations in Myanmar . An example of a change that resulted is that prior

  4. DoD Global Emerging Infections System Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2001

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2001-01-01

    Singapore Brunei Kenya South Korea Bolivia Laos Suriname Cambodia Malaysia Syria Canada Mexico Trinidad and Tobago Djibouti Myanmar Thailand Ecuador Nepal...34 Varicella Susceptibility And Vaccine Use In Young Adults Enlisting In The U.S. Navy." Shah KV, Daniel RW, Tennant MK, Shah N, McKee KT, Jr, Gaydos...Symposium, 17-20 April 2001, San Antonio, TX. Ryan MAK, Smith TC, Honner WK, Gray GC. " Varicella Susceptibility And Vaccine Use In Young Adults

  5. New species and records of Clavigeritae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae) from Africa and Asia.

    PubMed

    NaklÁdal, Oto; HlavÁČ, Peter

    2018-03-29

    New species of Clavigeritae, Monodiger ivoricus sp. n. from Ivory Coast and Disarthricerus bruneicus sp. n. from Brunei are described. New records are given for the following species: Zuluclavodes Hlaváč, 2007 new genus for Zambia, Fustigerinus formicarius Bryant, 1943 (new combination), new genus and species for Ivory Coast and Hoplitoxenus joannae Jeannel, 1960, new genus and species for Cameroon. A new locality in South Africa is recorded for Ischyroceros mirus Reichensperger, 1915.

  6. Territorial Disputes in Spratly: An Assessment of the Philippine Initiatives

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-03-01

    in this region.1 It is an area with hundreds of reefs , islets, rocks and shoals, with the majority located in the Spratly and Paracel chain of... reefs which are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially contain gas and oil deposits. The chain of islands is wholly and partly claimed...shelf.7 Brunei declared its maritime boundary with Vietnam an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in 1984, thus, “asserting an implicit claim to Louisa Reef

  7. Walking a Tightrope: Vietnam’s Security Challenge in the South China Sea and Implications for U.S. PACOM

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-11-01

    Islands and back up to Taiwan . In the words of analyst Robert Kaplan, “geography propels China forward into the South China Sea.” 3 The bilateral...vigorously began to defend its historical claims to the Paracels and Spratlys, with the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan , and Brunei also laying claim to the...approach. 4 Background on the South China Sea dispute provided in Patrick M. Cronin, Peter A. Dutton

  8. Stratigraphy and age estimate of Neogene shallow marine fossiliferous deposits in Brunei Darussalam (Ambug Hill, Tutong district)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kocsis, László; Briguglio, Antonino; Roslim, Amajida; Razak, Hazirah; Ćorić, Stjepan; Frijia, Gianluca

    2018-06-01

    The Ambug Hill in Brunei is an exceptional geological site where a series of siliciclastic rocks crops out with some layers extremely rich in marine fossils. Such fossiliferous outcrops are extremely rare in the northern part of Borneo and their description is of primary importance as their fossil content can be used to correlate the regional depositional sequences with global biostratigraphic zonations. In this work we present for the first time a detailed sedimentary profile completed with Sr-isotopes and biostratigraphic dating. The succession is divided into four sedimentary units. The first unit comprises bioturbated sandstone followed by a second unit of clay-silt rich levels whose first 9.5 m contain rich marine fossil assemblages. Calcareous nannoplankton data indicate a Late Tortonian - Early Messinian (NN11) age, which is confirmed by Sr-isotope dating derived from bivalves giving a numerical age range from 8.3 to 6.2 My. After a major emersion surface, the third sedimentary unit of sand- and siltstone lacks suitable fossils for bio- and isotope stratigraphy. The age of emersion and the related sedimentary gap can be either correlated with the Me1 (7.25 My) or the Me2 (5.73 My) sequence boundary. A fourth, thin sedimentary unit is recognized on the top of the profile with silt- and claystone beds without age diagnostic remains and calcareous fossils.

  9. OVERWEIGHT, OBESITY AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG 13-15 YEARS OLD STUDENTS IN THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS MEMBER COUNTRIES, 2007-2014.

    PubMed

    Pengpid, Supa; Peltzer, Karl

    2016-03-01

    The aim of this study was to assess overweight or obesity and associated factors in school-going adolescents in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries. The analysis included 30,284 school children 13-15 years of age from seven ASEAN members participating in the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) between 2007 and 2013. The overall prevalence of overweight or obesity across seven ASEAN countries (excluding Brunei) was 9.9%, significantly higher in boys (11.5%) than in girls (8.3%). Among eight ASEAN countries, the highest prevalence of overweight or obesity was in Brunei Darus-salam (36.1%), followed by Malaysia (23.7%), and the lowest was in Myanmar (3.4%) and Cambodia (3.7%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis found that younger age, coming from an upper middle country, never been hungry, and not walking or biking to school were associated with overweight or obesity. In addition, among boys, having three or more servings of vegetables per day and having no close friends, and among girls, having fast foods two or more times per week, been victims of bullying and having peer support were additional factors associated with overweight or obesity. Increased strategies utilizing a number of the risk factors identified are needed to prevent and treat overweight or obesity in adolescents in ASEAN member countries.

  10. The incidence and mortality of ovarian cancer and their relationship with the Human Development Index in Asia

    PubMed Central

    Razi, Saeid; Ghoncheh, Mahshid; Mohammadian-Hafshejani, Abdollah; Aziznejhad, Hojjat; Mohammadian, Mahdi; Salehiniya, Hamid

    2016-01-01

    Background The incidence and mortality estimates of ovarian cancer based on human development are essential for planning by policy makers. This study is aimed at investigating the standardised incidence rates (SIR) and standardised mortality rates (SMR) of ovarian cancer and their relationship with the Human Development Index (HDI) in Asian countries. Methods This study was an ecologic study in Asia for assessment of the correlation between SIR, age standardised rates (ASR), and HDI and their details, including life expectancy at birth, mean years of schooling, and gross national income (GNI) per capita. We used the correlation bivariate method for assessment of the correlation between ASR and HDI, and its details. Statistical significance was assumed if P < 0.05. All reported P-values were two-sided. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS (Version 15.0, SPSS Inc.). Results The highest SIR of ovarian cancer was observed in Singapore, Kazakhstan, and Brunei respectively. Indonesia, Brunei, and Afghanistan had the highest SMR. There was a positive correlation between the HDI and SIR (r = 0.143, p = 0.006). Correlation between SMR of ovarian cancer and HDI was not significant (r = 0.005, p = 052.0). Conclusion According to the findings of this study, between the HDI and SIR, there was a positive correlation, but there was no correlation between the SMR and HDI. PMID:27110284

  11. The incidence and mortality of ovarian cancer and their relationship with the Human Development Index in Asia.

    PubMed

    Razi, Saeid; Ghoncheh, Mahshid; Mohammadian-Hafshejani, Abdollah; Aziznejhad, Hojjat; Mohammadian, Mahdi; Salehiniya, Hamid

    2016-01-01

    The incidence and mortality estimates of ovarian cancer based on human development are essential for planning by policy makers. This study is aimed at investigating the standardised incidence rates (SIR) and standardised mortality rates (SMR) of ovarian cancer and their relationship with the Human Development Index (HDI) in Asian countries. This study was an ecologic study in Asia for assessment of the correlation between SIR, age standardised rates (ASR), and HDI and their details, including life expectancy at birth, mean years of schooling, and gross national income (GNI) per capita. We used the correlation bivariate method for assessment of the correlation between ASR and HDI, and its details. Statistical significance was assumed if P < 0.05. All reported P-values were two-sided. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS (Version 15.0, SPSS Inc.). The highest SIR of ovarian cancer was observed in Singapore, Kazakhstan, and Brunei respectively. Indonesia, Brunei, and Afghanistan had the highest SMR. There was a positive correlation between the HDI and SIR (r = 0.143, p = 0.006). Correlation between SMR of ovarian cancer and HDI was not significant (r = 0.005, p = 052.0). According to the findings of this study, between the HDI and SIR, there was a positive correlation, but there was no correlation between the SMR and HDI.

  12. National Security Forum for Women Held on June 11-12, 1985 at Washington, DC. Challenges to U.S. National Security.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1985-01-01

    government down there that breaks promises, that censors the press, that kicks out priests, and that runs drugs to support their revolution, you will have a...Aspen Skiing Corporation, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation, Schroders, Inc., American Security and Trust Company, the Ethics and Public Policy... Malaysia , Indonesia, the Philippines, and most recently Brunei. The total trade with ASEAN is exceeded only by Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, and

  13. From Forward Deployment to Forward Presence: A New National Strategy for the Pacific

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-03-01

    34 A NEW NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR THE PACIFc jIT) 12 PERSONAL AUTHOR( S ) Smith, Michael Edward 13a TYPE OF REPORT 113b TIME COVERED 𔃾 DATEOF REPORT 16YV r... pensions and survivors’ benefits, which the Japanese handle in a separate budget (unlike the United States and European nations ), Japan’s defense...U.S. Ambassador to 4 1The Association of Southeast Asian Nations include: The Philippines, Thialand, Malaysia, Singapore , Indonesia, and Brunei. 4 2

  14. Report on metric study tour to Republic of South Africa

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Laner, F. J.

    1978-01-01

    The modernized metric system, known universally as the International System of Units (abbreviated SI under the French name) was renamed in 1960 by the world body on standards. A map shows 98 percent of the world using or moving toward adoption of SI units. Only the countries of Burma, Liberia, Brunei, and Southern Yemen are nonmetric. The author describes a two-week session in Pretoria and Johannesburg on metrication, followed by additional meetings on metrication in Rhodesia. (MCW)

  15. British Air Power in Peripheral Conflict, 1919-1976

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-10-01

    Northwest Frontier of Mohn Pimlott, "The British Army: The Dhofar Campaign, 1970-1975," in Ian F.W. Beckett and John Pimlott (eds.), Armed Forces and...Malaya, Singapore, Borneo, and even the Phil - ippines!5 In December 1962, an Indonesian-backed revolt was staged by the "secret army" of Brunei r...BIBLIOGRAPHY 121 Pimlott, John. "The British Army: The Dhofar Campaign, 1970-1975," in Ian F.W. Beckett and John Pimlott (eds.), Armed Forces and

  16. Respiratory symptoms of vendors in an open-air hawker center in brunei darussalam.

    PubMed

    Nazurah Bt Abdul Wahid, Nurul Nor; Balalla, N B P; Koh, David

    2014-01-01

    We studied respiratory problems among vendors exposed to cooking fumes in an open-air hawker center. Exposure to cooking fumes from either the use of fossil fuels or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has been shown to be associated with adverse respiratory health effects. We conducted a cross-sectional study among 67 food vendors exposed to cooking fumes as well as 18 merchandise sellers at an open-air hawker center in Brunei Darussalam. Past medical and smoking history and exposure to cooking fumes were obtained. The validated American Thoracic Society Questionnaire with a translated Malay version was used to ask for respiratory symptoms. Compared to merchandise sellers (n = 18), cooking vendors (n = 67) had a higher self-reported respiratory symptoms (50.7% for those cooking and 33.3% for merchandise sellers). Cough (28.3%) was the main respiratory symptom experienced in cooking vendors and breathlessness (22.2%) among merchandise sellers. Half (50.0%) of cooking vendors who worked for more than 10 years had cough and 27.3% had phlegm. Those cooking with charcoal were two times more likely to have cough than those cooking with LPG. Cooking vendors with a job duration of more than 10 years were thrice more likely to have cough. Cooking vendors in the open-air hawker center exposed to cooking fumes had more respiratory symptoms compared to non-exposed merchandise sellers. The type of fuel used for cooking and duration of work was associated with increased prevalence of cough.

  17. Performance and cross-cultural comparison of the short-form version of the CPQ11-14 in New Zealand, Brunei and Brazil

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background The Child Perception Questionnaire (CPQ11-14) is a self-report instrument developed to measure oral-health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in 11-14-year-olds. Earlier reports confirm that the 16-item short-form version performs adequately, but there is a need to determine the measure's validity and properties in larger and more diverse samples and settings. Aim The objective of this study was to examine the performance of the 16-item short-form impact version of the CPQ11-14 in different communities and cultures with diverse caries experience. Method Cross-sectional epidemiological surveys of child oral health were conducted in two regions of New Zealand, one region in Brunei, and one in Brazil. Children were examined for dental caries (following WHO guidelines), and OHRQoL was measured using the 16-item short-form item-impact version of the CPQ11-14, along with two global questions on OHRQoL. Children in the 20% with the greatest caries experience (DMF score) were categorised as the highest caries quintile. Construct validity was evaluated by comparing the mean scale scores across the categories of caries experience; correlational construct validity was assessed by comparing mean scores and children's global ratings of oral health and well-being. Results There were substantial variations in caries experience among the different communities (from 1.8 in Otago to 4.9 in Northland) and in mean CPQ11-14 scores (from 11.5 in Northland to 16.8 in Brunei). In all samples, those in the most severe caries experience quintile had higher mean CPQ11-14 scores than those who were caries-free (P < 0.05). There were also greater CPQ scores in those with worse self-rated oral health, with the Otago sample presenting the most marked gradient across the response categories for self-rated oral health, from 'Excellent' to 'Fair/Poor' (9.6 to 19.7 respectively). Conclusion The findings suggest that the 16-item short-form item impact version of the CPQ11-14 performs well across diverse cultures and levels of caries experience. Reasons for the differences in mean CPQ scores among the communities are unclear and may reflect subtle socio-cultural differences in subjective oral health among these populations, but elucidating these requires further exploration of the face and content validity of the measure in different populations. PMID:21649928

  18. Knowledge, attitude and practice towards eating and physical activity among primary school children in Brunei: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Murang, Zaidah Rizidah; Tuah, Naa; Naing, Lin

    2017-11-30

    Background Childhood obesity has become a global public health crisis. Many studies have been conducted to explore the knowledge, attitude and practices towards eating and physical activity amongst parents and healthcare workers. However, very little is known amongst children. It is imperative to understand these factors as they have been associated with obesity among children. Objective This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of Bruneian children towards eating and physical activity, in order to identify the factors that influence the development of obesity. Methods The study involved 353 children from four primary schools in Brunei. The data collection tool used was modified validated questionnaires with sections on demographic characteristic, knowledge about obesity, eating habits and physical activity. Results The majority of children (>60%) had good knowledge of obesity and intake of healthy food, but, 84.2% lacked knowledge on the required daily servings of fruits and vegetables. 68.8% purchased food and beverages from their school canteen. 93.8% were aware about the health benefits of physical activity and 70.2% spent only 1-2 h of screen time per day, however, 46.9% did not meet the recommended amount of physical activity although they reported to have performed enough. This suggested that a comprehensive education on food intake requirements and physical activity are necessary in order to better educate children. Conclusion Health educators and public health professionals may find our findings useful in order to plan and develop tailored interventions for children, as well as better promotion of a healthy lifestyle to children and their families.

  19. Power interconnection projects in the ASEAN region: Definitional-mission report No. 1. Export trade information

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1992-06-01

    In response to a request from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the U.S. Trade and Development Program (TDP) conducted a definitional mission to evaluate the prospects of TDP funding for five Power Interconnection Projects in the ASEAN region. These projects included: Batam-Singapore Interconnection; Sumatera-Peninsular Malaysia Interconnection; Sarawak-West Kalimantan Interconnection; Sarawak-Brunei-Sabah Interconnection; and Java-Sumatera Interconnection. Based on a review of the proposed scopes of work for the projects and the discussions in the field, the report summarizes the technical details and the costs of implementation for the projects.

  20. [Medical exchanges among China and Asiana countries].

    PubMed

    Chen, H

    1996-01-01

    Among the issues of medical exchanges, medicaments are more often encountered than medical issues, based on ancient Chinese literatures, early in the Han-Jin Dynasties, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei had exchanges with China, also in Sui-Tang Dynasties. In the Song-Yuan Dynasties, ancient Singapore and the Philippines also incorporated in exchanges of medicament and goods. In the Ming-Qing dynasties, these 6 Asian countries had even more close contact with China, especially in trades and medical exchanges among the masses, carried out in a large scale thus, promoting the advent and development of TCM in Asiana Regions.

  1. Plant DNA barcodes and assessment of phylogenetic community structure of a tropical mixed dipterocarp forest in Brunei Darussalam (Borneo)

    PubMed Central

    Abu Salim, Kamariah; Chase, Mark W.; Dexter, Kyle G.; Pennington, R. Toby; Tan, Sylvester; Kaye, Maria Ellen; Samuel, Rosabelle

    2017-01-01

    DNA barcoding is a fast and reliable tool to assess and monitor biodiversity and, via community phylogenetics, to investigate ecological and evolutionary processes that may be responsible for the community structure of forests. In this study, DNA barcodes for the two widely used plastid coding regions rbcL and matK are used to contribute to identification of morphologically undetermined individuals, as well as to investigate phylogenetic structure of tree communities in 70 subplots (10 × 10m) of a 25-ha forest-dynamics plot in Brunei (Borneo, Southeast Asia). The combined matrix (rbcL + matK) comprised 555 haplotypes (from ≥154 genera, 68 families and 25 orders sensu APG, Angiosperm Phylogeny Group, 2016), making a substantial contribution to tree barcode sequences from Southeast Asia. Barcode sequences were used to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships using maximum likelihood, both with and without constraining the topology of taxonomic orders to match that proposed by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group. A third phylogenetic tree was reconstructed using the program Phylomatic to investigate the influence of phylogenetic resolution on results. Detection of non-random patterns of community assembly was determined by net relatedness index (NRI) and nearest taxon index (NTI). In most cases, community assembly was either random or phylogenetically clustered, which likely indicates the importance to community structure of habitat filtering based on phylogenetically correlated traits in determining community structure. Different phylogenetic trees gave similar overall results, but the Phylomatic tree produced greater variation across plots for NRI and NTI values, presumably due to noise introduced by using an unresolved phylogenetic tree. Our results suggest that using a DNA barcode tree has benefits over the traditionally used Phylomatic approach by increasing precision and accuracy and allowing the incorporation of taxonomically unidentified individuals into analyses. PMID:29049301

  2. Rainfall variability over South-east Asia - connections with Indian monsoon and ENSO extremes: new perspectives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kripalani, R. H.; Kulkarni, Ashwini

    1997-09-01

    Seasonal and annual rainfall data for 135 stations for periods varying from 25 to 125 years are utilized to investigate and understand the interannual and short-term (decadal) climate variability over the South-east Asian domain. Contemporaneous relations during the summer monsoon period (June to September) reveal that the rainfall variations over central India, north China, northern parts of Thailand, central parts of Brunei and Borneo and the Indonesian region east of 120°E vary in phase. However, the rainfall variations over the regions surrounding the South China Sea, in particular the north-west Philippines, vary in the opposite phase. Possible dynamic causes for the spatial correlation structure obtained are discussed.Based on the instrumental data available and on an objective criteria, regional rainfall anomaly time series for contiguous regions over Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia and Philippines are prepared. Results reveal that although there are year-to-year random fluctuations, there are certain epochs of the above- and below-normal rainfall over each region. These epochs are not forced by the El Niño/La Nina frequencies. Near the equatorial regions the epochs tend to last for about a decade, whereas over the tropical regions, away from the Equator, epochs last for about three decades. There is no systematic climate change or trend in any of the series. Further, the impact of El Niño (La Nina) on the rainfall regimes is more severe during the below (above) normal epochs than during the above (below) normal epochs. Extreme drought/flood situations tend to occur when the epochal behaviour and the El Niño/La Nina events are phase-locked.

  3. U.S. announces one-year delay for visa waiver program change

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    The U.S. State Department has announced that it is delaying by one year a new rule affecting citizens from visa waiver program countries. The new rule, which was scheduled to go into effect on 1 October 2003, requires visitors from these countries to obtain non-immigrant visas to enter the United States if they do not have machine-readable passports. The announced delay means that this rule will now go into effect 26 October 2004 instead.The delay does not apply to five visa waiver countries—Andorra, Brunei, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Slovenia—because most of the citizens of these nations already carry passports that are machine-readable.

  4. Geographical Distribution of Biomass Carbon in Tropical Southeast Asian Forests: A Database (NPD-068)

    DOE Data Explorer

    Brown, Sandra [University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois (USA); Iverson, Louis R. [University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois (USA); Prasad, Anantha [University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois (USA); Beaty, Tammy W. [CDIAC, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN (USA); Olsen, Lisa M. [CDIAC, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN (USA); Cushman, Robert M. [CDIAC, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN (USA); Brenkert, Antoinette L. [CDIAC, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN (USA)

    2001-03-01

    A database was generated of estimates of geographically referenced carbon densities of forest vegetation in tropical Southeast Asia for 1980. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to incorporate spatial databases of climatic, edaphic, and geomorphological indices and vegetation to estimate potential (i.e., in the absence of human intervention and natural disturbance) carbon densities of forests. The resulting map was then modified to estimate actual 1980 carbon density as a function of population density and climatic zone. The database covers the following 13 countries: Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia (Campuchea), India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.

  5. A sporting chance to fight haze

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    Sometimes sports can open up the way for politicians to take action. Several decades ago, ping-pong diplomacy helped to ease tensions between China and the United States. Now, it appears that the upcoming Southeast Asia Games (SEA Games) also may be wielding some influence in policy making.Environment ministers from countries in the region and officials from the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), hoping to keep the skies clear during the sporting competition in Brunei in August, on July 6 announced a plan to try to prevent forest fires and avert the dangerous levels of smog and haze that enveloped the region 2 years ago.

  6. The diplomacy of scientific research in the South China Sea: the case of join to oceanographic marine scientific research expedition between Vietnam and the Philippines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Satyawan, I. A.

    2018-03-01

    The South China Sea is one of the hot-spot areas in the world. This area is claimed by China, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines. It also noted, the South China Sea is rich in biodiversity as well as oil and gas. On the other side, environmental degradation is still happening in the South China Sea due to the reluctance of surrounding states to conduct a preservation program and mitigating action on climate change effects. Joint Oceanographic Marine Scientific Research Expedition between Vietnam and the Philippines is a breakthrough to start collaboration actions as well as to conduct Science Diplomacy.

  7. Territorial disputes simmer in areas of South China Sea

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1992-07-13

    This paper reports that China's award of an exploration cooperation contact in the Nansha area of the South China Sea has revived territorial disputes in the area centering ton the Spratly and Paracel islands. The key dispute is between China and Viet Nam, which earlier engaged in military action over ownership of the islands, believed to have world class potential for hydrocarbon discoveries. Those two nations, as well as Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, and Taiwan, lay claim to overlapping boundaries of the Spratly Islands. Separately, China and Viet Nam dispute territorial claims in the Paracels. Tensions continue to mount, and regionalmore » governments are trying to negotiate compromises to avoid a repeat of warfare.« less

  8. Earth observations taken from Space Shuttle Columbia during STS-93 mission

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-07-25

    STS093-708-062 (23-27 July 1999) --- The STS-93 astronauts took this picture of the Island of Borneo, which is divided among Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. The Rajang River meets the South China Sea in the northwestern portion of the Malaysian state of Sarawak. Smoke from both large and small fires is blowing north by the prevailing summer winds. Notice the contrast of dark colored rainforest with the lighter clearings where the largest fires are burning. According to NASA scientists studying the STS-93 photo collection, the sediment plumes along the coast are mostly shoreline erosional materials caught up in longshore currents. The Saribas River can be seen at the bottom.

  9. Four Decades of Forest Persistence, Clearance and Logging on Borneo

    PubMed Central

    Gaveau, David L. A.; Sloan, Sean; Molidena, Elis; Yaen, Husna; Sheil, Doug; Abram, Nicola K.; Ancrenaz, Marc; Nasi, Robert; Quinones, Marcela; Wielaard, Niels; Meijaard, Erik

    2014-01-01

    The native forests of Borneo have been impacted by selective logging, fire, and conversion to plantations at unprecedented scales since industrial-scale extractive industries began in the early 1970s. There is no island-wide documentation of forest clearance or logging since the 1970s. This creates an information gap for conservation planning, especially with regard to selectively logged forests that maintain high conservation potential. Analysing LANDSAT images, we estimate that 75.7% (558,060 km2) of Borneo's area (737,188 km2) was forested around 1973. Based upon a forest cover map for 2010 derived using ALOS-PALSAR and visually reviewing LANDSAT images, we estimate that the 1973 forest area had declined by 168,493 km2 (30.2%) in 2010. The highest losses were recorded in Sabah and Kalimantan with 39.5% and 30.7% of their total forest area in 1973 becoming non-forest in 2010, and the lowest in Brunei and Sarawak (8.4%, and 23.1%). We estimate that the combined area planted in industrial oil palm and timber plantations in 2010 was 75,480 km2, representing 10% of Borneo. We mapped 271,819 km of primary logging roads that were created between 1973 and 2010. The greatest density of logging roads was found in Sarawak, at 0.89 km km−2, and the lowest density in Brunei, at 0.18 km km−2. Analyzing MODIS-based tree cover maps, we estimate that logging operated within 700 m of primary logging roads. Using this distance, we estimate that 266,257 km2 of 1973 forest cover has been logged. With 389,566 km2 (52.8%) of the island remaining forested, of which 209,649 km2 remains intact. There is still hope for biodiversity conservation in Borneo. Protecting logged forests from fire and conversion to plantations is an urgent priority for reducing rates of deforestation in Borneo. PMID:25029192

  10. Four decades of forest persistence, clearance and logging on Borneo.

    PubMed

    Gaveau, David L A; Sloan, Sean; Molidena, Elis; Yaen, Husna; Sheil, Doug; Abram, Nicola K; Ancrenaz, Marc; Nasi, Robert; Quinones, Marcela; Wielaard, Niels; Meijaard, Erik

    2014-01-01

    The native forests of Borneo have been impacted by selective logging, fire, and conversion to plantations at unprecedented scales since industrial-scale extractive industries began in the early 1970s. There is no island-wide documentation of forest clearance or logging since the 1970s. This creates an information gap for conservation planning, especially with regard to selectively logged forests that maintain high conservation potential. Analysing LANDSAT images, we estimate that 75.7% (558,060 km2) of Borneo's area (737,188 km2) was forested around 1973. Based upon a forest cover map for 2010 derived using ALOS-PALSAR and visually reviewing LANDSAT images, we estimate that the 1973 forest area had declined by 168,493 km2 (30.2%) in 2010. The highest losses were recorded in Sabah and Kalimantan with 39.5% and 30.7% of their total forest area in 1973 becoming non-forest in 2010, and the lowest in Brunei and Sarawak (8.4%, and 23.1%). We estimate that the combined area planted in industrial oil palm and timber plantations in 2010 was 75,480 km2, representing 10% of Borneo. We mapped 271,819 km of primary logging roads that were created between 1973 and 2010. The greatest density of logging roads was found in Sarawak, at 0.89 km km-2, and the lowest density in Brunei, at 0.18 km km-2. Analyzing MODIS-based tree cover maps, we estimate that logging operated within 700 m of primary logging roads. Using this distance, we estimate that 266,257 km2 of 1973 forest cover has been logged. With 389,566 km2 (52.8%) of the island remaining forested, of which 209,649 km2 remains intact. There is still hope for biodiversity conservation in Borneo. Protecting logged forests from fire and conversion to plantations is an urgent priority for reducing rates of deforestation in Borneo.

  11. Country to country transport of anthropogenic sulphur in Southeast Asia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Engardt, M.; Siniarovina, U.; Khairul, N. I.; Leong, C. P.

    The MATCH model—driven by archived meteorological data from the ECMWF—has been used to study the long-range transport of pollutants in Southeast Asia during the year 2000. We have specifically investigated the atmospheric export and import of anthropogenic sulphur between nine countries in Southeast Asia as well as the import to these countries from the boundaries of our model domain, from southern China, and from international shipping in the surrounding waters. Compared to the conditions at the mid-latitudes (Europe, North America and East Asia), we find less long-range transport in this part of the world. In all countries in the region (except those with very small area, i.e. Singapore and Brunei), did the major part of the domestic emissions (60-70%) fall down on the emitting country itself. The fraction of the countries own emissions contributing to the total, annually accumulated, national deposition varied from 10% for Laos—which is a country with small emissions neighbouring large emitters—to 80-90% in countries not surrounded by significant emitters (i.e. Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei). Sensitivity tests were performed to explore the uncertainties in the model simulations and to investigate to what extent the current results could be used for source-receptor relationships in the future, when the magnitude and location of the emissions may be different. We found that the general feature—with relatively little long-range transport of sulphur—will not be altered, while the absolute magnitude of the deposition in areas downwind of large emitters could change considerably if certain model parameters, or the emission patterns are changed. This is particularly true in light of the seasonal variation of the deposition pathways. The atmospheric import of anthropogenic sulphur from specific countries can vary by an order of magnitude between different months. Incidentally, a decrease in import from one country during a certain period is often compensated by a roughly equal increase of the import from another country during the same time.

  12. Fıxed bed slow pyrolysıs of bıomass solıd waste for bıo-char

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Islam, M. N.; Ali, M. H.; Ahmad, I.

    2017-06-01

    Biomass solid waste in the form of rice husk particle is pyrolyzed in a fixed bed pyrolysis reactor. The reactor is made of stainless steel with dimensions of 76 mm in diameter and 90 cm in length. Rice husk is collected locally from Brunei-Muara district of Brunei Darussalam which is processed for pyrolysis. The particles are selected in the millimeter range. It is oven-dried at 105°C for 6 hours after being air-dried prior to pyrolysis. The reactor bed is heated by means of saw-dust in a biomass source heater. A temperature range of 390-410°C is maintained with an apperent vapor residence time of 30 min. Nitrogen gas is passed through the reactor system to make the atmosphere inert. A water-cooled condenser is used to derive bio-oil from the condensable vapors. The system is subjected to pyrolysis for a running time of 60 min. The products obtained are solid bio-char, liquid bio-oil and pyrolytic bio-gases. The solid char yield is found to be 45 by weight of solid biomass feedstock and the liquid product yield is found to be 29 by weight of solid biomass feedstock. The rest is gas flared into the atmosphere. The bio-char is retained in the reactor and collected at the end of the experimental run. The bio-char is found to be black in color retaining its original shape. The bio-char product is subjected to energy analysis for its higher heating value (HHV) by means of an oxygen bomb calorimeter. It is found to be 20.3 MJ/kg. The density of the bio-char is found to be 238.5 kg/m3 with an energy density of 4.85 GJ/m3.

  13. Sociodemographic variables and social values: relationship with work-attendance problems in Brunei public- and private-sector employees.

    PubMed

    Mundia, Lawrence; Mahalle, Salwa; Matzin, Rohani; Zakaria, Gamal Abdul Nasir; Abdullah, Nor Zaiham Midawati

    2017-01-01

    The study investigated the degree to which selected sociodemographic variables and social values were related to work-attendance problems in a random sample of 860 Brunei public- and private-sector employees and the nature of this relationship. This quantitative study used the field-survey approach to administer research instruments directly to participants. This enabled the researchers to help participants who needed assistance in completing the measures properly, so as to increase the number of usable returns. Two sociodemographic variables (seeking help from a counselor/psychologist and marital status) correlated significantly with work attendance. Private-sector employees were more likely to have work-attendance problems than government workers. Both single and married employees and the chief wage earner in the household were more likely to have work-attendance issues to deal with compared to their counterparts. However, employees who sought help from a counselor/psychologist were far less likely to have work-attendance problems compared to those who did not get such help. The most significant social-value correlates with work-attendance problems were interpersonal communication, employer-employee relationship, work-stress problems, self-presentation, self-regulation, self-direction, and interpersonal trust. Self-regulation, self-direction, and satisfaction with work-related achievements significantly predicted work-attendance problems positively, while interpersonal communication problems and work-stress problems predicted work-attendance problems negatively. Low scorers on self-regulation and self-direction, as well as on satisfaction with work-related achievements, were more likely to have work-attendance problems compared to high scorers. However, low scorers on interpersonal communication and work-stress problems were less likely to have work-attendance problems compared to high-scoring peers. Ample evidence from this study showed that sociodemographic variables and social values contribute to work-attendance problems in various ways, and need to be incorporated in counseling interventions for affected employees.

  14. Effects of moisture content on coarse woody debris respiration in a tropical rainforest of Brunei Darussalam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roh, Y.; Li, G.; Han, S. H.; Abu Salim, K.; Son, Y.

    2017-12-01

    Since coarse woody debris (CWD) respiration (Rcwd) has an important role in carbon (C) cycling in forest ecosystems, it is a significant parameter in an investigation of CWD decomposition rate. Rcwd is known as to be influenced not only by environmental factors but also by CWD properties (e.g., moisture content). This study investigated the effects of CWD moisture content on Rcwd in a lowland mixed Dipterocarp tropical rainforest of Brunei Darussalam. CWDs in the forest were selected and categorized into two decay classes (sound and partially decomposed), and three diameter classes (10-20 cm, 20-30 cm, more than 30 cm). Samplings of CWDs were conducted in February and October, 2016. The fresh weight and Rcwd of the samples were measured within 24 h of sampling. Rcwd measurements were conducted using a closed chamber system with a diffusion-type, non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) sensor. In February, the fresh weight and Rcwd of the samples were remeasured, after submerging them in the fresh water for 24, 48, and 72 h. The Rcwd increased significantly with moisture content in February (r2=0.25, p<0.01). During the study period from February to October, 2016, the mean value of Rcwd (±SE) decreased from 18.26 (3.45) to 14.92 (2.67) mg C kg-1 h-1 (p<0.05), although the moisture content did not change significantly (p>0.05). Rcwd was lowest in the largest diameter class (p<0.01), and not significantly different between the decay classes (p>0.05). On the basis of these results, the Rcwd in this site was in the range of Rcwd in previous studies conducted in other tropical rainforests. Rcwd increased with moisture content, however, the contribution of moisture content to changes in Rcwd might not be influential during the eight months study period.*Supported by research grants from the Korea Forest Service (2017044B10-1719-BB01).

  15. Sociodemographic variables and social values: relationship with work-attendance problems in Brunei public- and private-sector employees

    PubMed Central

    Mundia, Lawrence; Mahalle, Salwa; Matzin, Rohani; Zakaria, Gamal Abdul Nasir; Abdullah, Nor Zaiham Midawati

    2017-01-01

    Objective The study investigated the degree to which selected sociodemographic variables and social values were related to work-attendance problems in a random sample of 860 Brunei public- and private-sector employees and the nature of this relationship. Materials and methods This quantitative study used the field-survey approach to administer research instruments directly to participants. This enabled the researchers to help participants who needed assistance in completing the measures properly, so as to increase the number of usable returns. Results Two sociodemographic variables (seeking help from a counselor/psychologist and marital status) correlated significantly with work attendance. Private-sector employees were more likely to have work-attendance problems than government workers. Both single and married employees and the chief wage earner in the household were more likely to have work-attendance issues to deal with compared to their counterparts. However, employees who sought help from a counselor/psychologist were far less likely to have work-attendance problems compared to those who did not get such help. The most significant social-value correlates with work-attendance problems were interpersonal communication, employer–employee relationship, work-stress problems, self-presentation, self-regulation, self-direction, and interpersonal trust. Self-regulation, self-direction, and satisfaction with work-related achievements significantly predicted work-attendance problems positively, while interpersonal communication problems and work-stress problems predicted work-attendance problems negatively. Low scorers on self-regulation and self-direction, as well as on satisfaction with work-related achievements, were more likely to have work-attendance problems compared to high scorers. However, low scorers on interpersonal communication and work-stress problems were less likely to have work-attendance problems compared to high-scoring peers. Conclusion Ample evidence from this study showed that sociodemographic variables and social values contribute to work-attendance problems in various ways, and need to be incorporated in counseling interventions for affected employees. PMID:28919763

  16. Tsunami run-up and inundation along the coast of Sabah and Sarawak, Malaysia due to a potential Brunei submarine mass failure.

    PubMed

    Tan, Wai Kiat; Teh, Su Yean; Koh, Hock Lye

    2017-07-01

    Submarine landslides, also known as submarine mass failures (SMFs), are major natural marine disasters that could critically damage coastal facilities such as nuclear power plants and oil and gas platforms. It is therefore essential to investigate submarine landslides for potential tsunami hazard assessment. Three-dimensional seismic data from offshore Brunei have revealed a giant seabed mass deposited by a previous SMF. The submarine mass extends over 120 km from the continental slope of the Baram Canyon at 200 m water depth to the deep basin floor of the Northwest Borneo Trough. A suite of in-house two-dimensional depth-averaged tsunami simulation model TUNA (Tsunami-tracking Utilities and Application) is developed to assess the vulnerability of coastal communities in Sabah and Sarawak subject to potential SMF tsunami. The submarine slide is modeled as a rigid body moving along a planar slope with the center of mass motion parallel to the planar slope and subject to external forces due to added mass, gravity, and dissipation. The nonlinear shallow water equations are utilized to simulate tsunami propagation from deepwater up to the shallow offshore areas. A wetting-drying algorithm is used when a tsunami wave reaches the shoreline to compute run up of tsunami along the shoreline. Run-up wave height and inundation maps are provided for seven densely populated locations in Sabah and Sarawak to highlight potential risks at each location, subject to two scenarios of slide slopes: 2° and 4°. The first wave may arrive at Kudat as early as 0.4 h after the SMF, giving local communities little time to evacuate. Over a small area, maximum inundated depths reaching 20.3 m at Kudat, 26.1 m at Kota Kinabalu, and 15.5 m at Miri are projected, while the maximum inundation distance of 4.86 km is expected at Miri due to its low-lying coast. In view of the vulnerability of some locations to the SMF tsunami, it is important to develop and implement community resilience program to reduce the potential damage that could be inflicted by SMF tsunamis.

  17. New lucinid bivalves from shallow and deeper water of the Indian and West Pacific Oceans (Mollusca, Bivalvia, Lucinidae)

    PubMed Central

    Taylor, John D.; Glover, Emily A.

    2013-01-01

    Abstract Four new species and a new genus of lucinid bivalves are described from shallow and deeper waters in the Indian and West Pacific Oceans. The new genus Scabrilucina (subfamily Lucininae) includes the little-known Scabrilucina victorialis (Melvill, 1899) from the Arabian Sea and Scabrilucina vitrea (Deshayes, 1844) from the Andaman Sea as well as a new species Scabrilucina melvilli from the Torres Strait off northeastern Australia. Ferrocina brunei new species (Lucininae) was recovered from 60 m near oil drilling activities off Borneo; its anatomy confirmed the presence of symbiotic bacteria. Two unusual deeper water species of Leucosphaerinae are described, both species included in on-going molecular analyses; Gonimyrtea ferruginea from 400–650 m in the southwest Pacific and Myrtina reflexa from 200–825 m off Zanzibar and Madagascar. PMID:24039537

  18. A cadinene biopolymer in fossil and extant dammar resins as a source for cadinanes and bicadinanes in crude oils from South East Asia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Van Aarssen, B. G. K.; Cox, H. C.; Hoogendoorn, P.; De Leeuw, J. W.

    1990-11-01

    The chemical composition of a fossil resin from a Miocene outcrop in Brunei, South East Asia, is compared with its extant counterpart dammar, obtained from trees of the family Dipterocarpaceae, to establish the nature of the precursor of bicadinanes. The alcohol soluble fractions of the resins consist of functionalised triterpenoids and a small amount of sesquiterpenoids. None of the compounds present in this fraction bears any structural relation to bicadinanes. The alcohol insoluble fractions of the resins consist of a polymer based on cadinene. A structure for this polymer is proposed. Heating the polymer in dammar resin resulted in the formation of monomeric, dimeric, and trimeric cadinenes. It is thought that the naturally occurring bicadinanes result from dimeric cadinenes upon cyclisation.

  19. High-dependency care: experiences of the psychosocial work environment.

    PubMed

    Rahman, Hanif Abdul; Naing, Lin; Abdul-Mumin, Khadizah

    2017-11-23

    to explore high-dependency care nurses' experiences of their psychosocial work environment. four focus groups were conducted with 23 emergency and critical care hospital nurses in Brunei. All sessions were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using inductive-approach thematic analysis. three major themes were identified. 'Specialisation/specific skills' explained a fundamental requirement for the high-dependency care nurses to work effectively and efficiently in their workplace. 'Task completion' narrated the pressure they experienced to complete their tasks within time constraints exacerbated by a reduced number of staff. 'Acknowledgement' signified their need for fair and adequate reward for their hard work through career progression and promotion. this study facilitates the design of future interventions and policies that promote a healthy psychosocial work environment by ensuring nurses working in these areas have the required specialisation skills, there is a balance of workload and nurse-to-patient ratios, and they are offered fairness and equity in career progression and promotion.

  20. Examing the prospective of implementing passive house standards in providing sustainable schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suhaili, Wan Farhani; Shahrill, Masitah

    2018-04-01

    This study examines the potential of implementing the passive house standards to reduce energy consumption on school buildings in Brunei. Furthermore, it investigates whether sustainable school buildings make business sense to the government. To do this, conventional and Passive House primary school buildings are compared in terms of their performances using the Passive House Planning Package as well as the Ecotect environmental analysis tool. The findings indicated that by replacing lower U-values building fabrics brought a significantly reduction in the cooling demand of 54%. Whereas, Ecotect models have demonstrated that the heating and cooling loads have tremendously reduced to 75% by reorienting the location of the building to south elevation and by replacing the building fabrics with a lower U-values. These findings were then evaluated with a cost benefit analysis that proved to save cost energy annually from air-conditioning usage from a typical primary school with eight years of pay back period.

  1. Two New Nepenthes Species from the Philippines and an Emended Description of Nepenthes ramos.

    PubMed

    Gronemeyer, Thomas; Suarez, Wally; Nuytemans, Herman; Calaramo, Michael; Wistuba, Andreas; Mey, François S; Amoroso, Victor B

    2016-05-06

    With 50 species of the genus Nepenthes L. currently described from the Philippines, it is without doubt that the country, along with the islands of Sumatra (Indonesia) and Borneo (Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei), should be considered the center of diversity of the genus. In this work, we describe two new species. One species, N. aenigma sp. nov., is from Ilocos Norte province on Luzon Island and has the-for Nepenthes-unusual ecological preference to grow in dense vegetation in deep shade. The other new species is from Mount Hamiguitan in Davao Oriental province on Mindanao Island. With this new entry, Mount Hamiguitan is now home to four endemic species (N. peltata, N. micramphora, N. hamiguitanensis, N. justinae sp. nov.). Furthermore, we provide an emended description of N. ramos based on field data. Nepenthes kurata is synonymized here with N. ramos.

  2. Effects of termite activities on coarse woody debris decomposition in an intact lowland mixed dipterocarp forest of Brunei Darussalam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, S.; Kim, S.; Roh, Y.; Son, Y.

    2016-12-01

    Tropical forests play a critical role in mitigating climate change, because they sequester carbon more than any other terrestrial ecosystems. In addition, coarse woody debris is one of the main carbon storages, accounting for 10 - 40% of the tropical forest carbon. Carbon in coarse woody debris is released by various activities of organisms, and particularly termite's feeding activities are known to be a main process in tropical forests. Therefore, investigating the effects of termite activities on coarse woody debris decomposition is important to understanding carbon cycles of tropical forests. This study was conducted in an intact lowland mixed dipterocarp forest (MDF) of Brunei Darussalam, and three main MDF tree species (Dillenia beccariana, Macaranga bancana, and Elateriospermum tapos) were selected. Coarse woody debris samples of both 10 cm diameter and length were prepared, and half of samples were covered twice with nylon net (mesh size 1.5 mm × 1.5 mm) to prevent termite's approach. Three permanent plots were installed in January, 2015 and 36 samples per plot (3 species × 2 treatments × 6 replicates) were placed at the soil surface. Weights of each sample were recorded at initial time, and weighed again at an interval of 6 months until July, 2016. On average, uncovered and covered samples lost 32.4 % and 20.0 % of their initial weights, respectively. Weight loss percentage was highest in uncovered samples of M. bancana (43.8 %), and lowest in covered samples of E. tapos (14.7 %). Two-way ANOVA showed that the effects of the tree species and the termite exclusion treatment on coarse woody debris decomposition were statistically significant (P < 0.001). Also the interaction between the tree species and the termite exclusion treatment was significant (P < 0.001). The results reveal that termite activities promote the coarse woody debris decomposition and they influence differently along the tree species. In addition, as a result of repeated ANOVA, weight loss rates were accelerated over time and this time-acceleration effects were significantly different among the tree species (P < 0.05) and the termite exclusion treatment (P< 0.001). * Supported by research grants from the National Research Foundation of Korea (R1D1A1A01) * Supported by BK21Plus Eco-Leader Education Center.

  3. Post-fire fluxes and sources of carbon in previously burnt tropical swamp peatlands, Brunei

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lupascu, M.; Akhtar, H.; Smith, T. E. L.; Sukmaria binti Hj Sukri, R.

    2017-12-01

    Tropical peatlands hold about 15-19% of the global organic carbon (C) pool of which 77% in Southeast Asia. Nonetheless Southeast Asian peatlands have been exploited for timber and land for agriculture leading to rapid deforestation, extensive drainage and frequent fires. Direct C-emissions through peat combustion must be quantified to examine the impact of peat fires on global and regional C-budgets, however it is also essential to evaluate oxidative decomposition of peat after fires for a complete understanding of ecosystem-scale fire impact. This kind of investigation is necessary also to understand the effect of peat burning on peat decomposition, because burning effects on the belowground environment are variable, depending on burnt frequency and fire severity. After a fire, ecosystems act as a C-source for months-to-years as ecosystem-respiration (Reco) exceeds photosynthesis. Furthermore during fires, the surface peat with a higher proportion of the more modern rapidly-cycled C burns preferentially. The loss of the surface peat possibly can reduce oxidative soil CO2 emissions, as the deeper, older peat, has more recalcitrant compounds. However, CO2emissions from this old C pool are a net flux to the atmosphere compared to the modern C. Within this context, we are quantifying the magnitudes and patterns of ecosystem-atmosphere fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) through cavity-ring spectroscopy in different transects of an intact tropical peat swamp forest and in two degraded forest areas affected by two and six fires over the last 40 years in Brunei, on the island of Borneo. We are using natural tracers such as δ13C and 14C to investigate the age and sources (auto- and heterotrophic) of C contributing to Reco and we are continuously monitoring soil temperature and water table level. Preliminary data show a similar magnitude of CO2 efflux between the intact (5.3 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1) and burnt areas (6.4 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1), with higher soil temperature in the latter. Our results will give a deeper insight into the vulnerability of the C pool in tropical peat swamp forest after fire events and aim at improving terrestrial soil C budget.

  4. Implementation of problem-based learning in geometry lessons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ahamad, S. N. S. H.; Li, H.-C.; Shahrill, M.; Prahmana, R. C. I.

    2017-12-01

    The aim of this study is twofold. Firstly, it aims to examine the effects of the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) approach on students’ performance in the learning of geometry. Secondly, it seeks to gain insights from the students regarding the implementation of PBL in geometry lessons. The participants were 22 students from one Year 10 class in a co-educational secondary school in Brunei Darussalam. A mixed method design was employed with data collected from the pre-, post- and retention tests, and interviews. The findings from this study revealed positive influences on students’ performance in learning geometry as gain and retention of knowledge was observed. Meanwhile, mixed responses from the interviews implied that in terms of 1) learning attitudes, students favoured the idea of independent learning but some critiqued that the process of PBL might be time-consuming; 2) learning difficulties, some students struggled in assimilating information leading to poor decision- making; and 3) knowledge and skills, some students believed to have nurtured some skills such as communication and research skills.

  5. Three-dimensional Simulations of the Mean Air Transport During the 1997 Forest Fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia Using a Mesoscale Numerical Model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roswintiarti, O.; Raman, S.

    - This paper describes the meteorological processes responsible for the mean transport of air pollutants during the ENSO-related forest fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia from 00 UTC 21 September to 00 UTC 25 September, 1997. The Fifth Generation of the Pennsylvania State University-National Center for Atmospheric Research (PSU-NCAR) Mesoscale Model (MM5) is used to simulate three-dimensional winds at 6-hourly intervals. A nonhydrostatic version of the model is run using two nested grids with horizontal resolutions of 45 km and 15 km. From the simulated wind fields, the backward and forward trajectories of the air parcel are investigated using the Vis5D model.The results indicate that the large-scale subsidence over Indonesia, the southwest monsoon low-level flows (2-8 m s-1), and the shallow planetary boundary layer height (400-800 m) play a key role in the transport of air pollutants from Kalimantan to Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.

  6. Teaching strategies in the learning of highest common factor and lowest common multiple

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Halim, N. L. A.; Li, H.-C.; Shahrill, M.; Prahmana, R. C. I.

    2017-12-01

    The main purpose of this study is to improve students’ understanding of Highest Common Factor (HCF) and Lowest Common Multiple (LCM). Several alternative teaching strategies were integrated in the Year 7 lessons involving 20 students from one secondary school in Brunei Darussalam. The categories identified in the teaching strategy were the application of group work, embedding real-life problems, using presentations and the traditional drilling practice method. An open-ended survey was disseminated to collate the students’ feedback, and among the questions posed was in relation to the different types of lesson activities utilised within each of the teaching strategies. Although 55% of the students preferred the traditional drilling practice on the calculation of HCF and LCM, mainly due to the ease of the task as opposed to activities involving real-life problems, the findings also indicated that most students favour sharing their ideas in a healthy competition learning style between each other or between the groups.

  7. Processes involved in solving mathematical problems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shahrill, Masitah; Putri, Ratu Ilma Indra; Zulkardi, Prahmana, Rully Charitas Indra

    2018-04-01

    This study examines one of the instructional practices features utilized within the Year 8 mathematics lessons in Brunei Darussalam. The codes from the TIMSS 1999 Video Study were applied and strictly followed, and from the 183 mathematics problems recorded, there were 95 problems with a solution presented during the public segments of the video-recorded lesson sequences of the four sampled teachers. The analyses involved firstly, identifying the processes related to mathematical problem statements, and secondly, examining the different processes used in solving the mathematical problems for each problem publicly completed during the lessons. The findings revealed that for three of the teachers, their problem statements coded as `using procedures' ranged from 64% to 83%, while the remaining teacher had 40% of his problem statements coded as `making connections.' The processes used when solving the problems were mainly `using procedures', and none of the problems were coded as `giving results only'. Furthermore, all four teachers made use of making the relevant connections in solving the problems given to their respective students.

  8. Arithmetic learning with the use of graphic organiser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sai, F. L.; Shahrill, M.; Tan, A.; Han, S. H.

    2018-01-01

    For this study, Zollman’s four corners-and-a-diamond mathematics graphic organiser embedded with Polya’s Problem Solving Model was used to investigate secondary school students’ performance in arithmetic word problems. This instructional learning tool was used to help students break down the given information into smaller units for better strategic planning. The participants were Year 7 students, comprised of 21 male and 20 female students, aged between 11-13 years old, from a co-ed secondary school in Brunei Darussalam. This study mainly adopted a quantitative approach to investigate the types of differences found in the arithmetic word problem pre- and post-tests results from the use of the learning tool. Although the findings revealed slight improvements in the overall comparisons of the students’ test results, the in-depth analysis of the students’ responses in their activity worksheets shows a different outcome. Some students were able to make good attempts in breaking down the key points into smaller information in order to solve the word problems.

  9. STUDENTS IN BRUNEI DARUSSALAM.

    PubMed

    Lim, A G; Chong, V H; Salleh, S M; Poh, S H

    2017-03-01

    Sexually transmitted infections (STI) remain an important public health issue globally, particularly among the young population. Despite being preventable and curable, STI continue to spread. Lack of access to treatment is an important factor in many developing and underdeveloped nations. Lack of awareness and knowledge is another important factor. This study assessed the awareness, knowledge, and misconceptions among secondary school students on STI. Overall, awareness was poor but better among male students and those in the Pure Science academic streaming. Similarly, the knowledge level of STI was also poor: low level (63.0%), moderate level (34.4%), and high level (2.6%). Male students (p=0.014) and Pure Science academic streaming students (p<0.001) scored better. There were misconceptions, but poor knowledge was predominant. Common sources of information were teachers, health professionals, Internet, parents and TV programs. Based on our study, more needs to be done to improve the awareness and knowledge level of STI, and detailed inclusion into the educational curriculum may be a consideration.

  10. Mobile Health (mHealth) Services and Online Health Educators

    PubMed Central

    Anshari, Muhammad; Almunawar, Mohammad Nabil

    2016-01-01

    Mobile technology enables health-care organizations to extend health-care services by providing a suitable environment to achieve mobile health (mHealth) goals, making some health-care services accessible anywhere and anytime. Introducing mHealth could change the business processes in delivering services to patients. mHealth could empower patients as it becomes necessary for them to become involved in the health-care processes related to them. This includes the ability for patients to manage their personal information and interact with health-care staff as well as among patients themselves. The study proposes a new position to supervise mHealth services: the online health educator (OHE). The OHE should be occupied by special health-care staffs who are trained in managing online services. A survey was conducted in Brunei and Indonesia to discover the roles of OHE in managing mHealth services, followed by a focus group discussion with participants who interacted with OHE in a real online health scenario. Data analysis showed that OHE could improve patients’ confidence and satisfaction in health-care services. PMID:27257387

  11. Attitudes and achievement of Bruneian science students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dhindsa, Harkirat S.; Chung, Gilbert

    2003-08-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate attitudes towards and achievement in science of Form 3 students studying in single-sex and coeducational schools in Brunei. The results demonstrated significant differences in attitudes towards and achievement in science of male and female students in single-sex schools and students in coeducational schools. These differences were at moderate level. In single-sex schools, the girls achieved moderately better in science than the boys despite their attitudes were only marginally better than the boys. However, there were no gender differences in attitudes towards and achievement in science of students in coeducational schools. The attitudes towards and achievement in science of girls in single-sex schools were moderately better than those of girls in coeducational schools. Whereas the attitudes towards and achievement in science of boys in single-sex schools were only marginally better than the boys in coeducational schools. However, further research to investigate (a) if these differences are repeated at other levels as well as in other subjects, and (b) the extent to which school type contributed towards these differences is recommended.

  12. Ontogenetic Change of Signal Brightness in the Foot-Flagging Frog Species Staurois parvus and Staurois guttatus

    PubMed Central

    Stangel, Judith; Preininger, Doris; Sztatecsny, Marc; Hödl, Walter

    2015-01-01

    Adult individuals of several anuran species exhibit conspicuous visual displays during intraspecific communication. While signal properties in adults have been subject to an increasing number of studies, little is known about the variation of visual signals in juveniles and during ontogenetic changes. Foot-flagging signals of the Bornean frogs Staurois guttatus and S. parvus were observed in juveniles a few days after metamorphosis. We investigated color parameters of foot webbings and body coloration of individuals bred at the Vienna Zoo, and their relation to age and body size using spectrophotometry. Our results indicate that the brightness of foot webbings of S. guttatus and S. parvus increased with increasing age. Additionally, we compared the results with measurements of adult individuals from a population in Brunei and discuss possible differences related to diet and age as well as the habitat use of juveniles and adults. We suggest that the ontogenetic increase in foot-webbing brightness enhances visual conspicuousness and the signal-to-noise ratio of the visual signal with sexual maturity and potentially functions as cue to the age of the signaler. PMID:25983337

  13. Perceived critical success factors of electronic health record system implementation in a dental clinic context: An organisational management perspective.

    PubMed

    Sidek, Yusof Haji; Martins, Jorge Tiago

    2017-11-01

    Electronic health records (EHR) make health care more efficient. They improve the quality of care by making patients' medical history more accessible. However, little is known about the factors contributing to the successful EHR implementation in dental clinics. This article aims to identify the perceived critical success factors of EHR system implementation in a dental clinic context. We used Grounded Theory to analyse data collected in the context of Brunei's national EHR - the Healthcare Information and Management System (Bru-HIMS). Data analysis followed the stages of open, axial and selective coding. Six perceived critical success factors emerged: usability of the system, emergent behaviours, requirements analysis, training, change management, and project organisation. The study identified a mismatch between end-users and product owner/vendor perspectives. Workflow changes were significant challenges to clinicians' confident use, particularly as the system offered limited modularity and configurability. Recommendations are made for all the parties involved in healthcare information systems implementation to manage the change process by agreeing system goals and functionalities through wider consensual debate, and participated supporting strategies realised through common commitment. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Just Say No to the TPP: A Democratic Setback for American and Asian Public Health

    PubMed Central

    Muntaner, Carles; Mahabir, Deb Finn

    2017-01-01

    The article by Labonté, Schram, and Ruckert is a significant and timely analysis of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) policy and the severe threats to public health that it implies for 12 Pacific Rim populations from the Americas and Asia (Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, United States, and Vietnam). With careful and analytic precision the authors convincingly unearth many aspects of this piece of legislation that undermine the public health achievements of most countries involved in the TTP. Our comments complement their policy analysis with the aim of providing a positive heuristic tool to assist in the understanding of the TPP, and other upcoming treaties like the even more encompassing Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), and in so doing motivate the public health community to oppose the implementation of the relevant provisions of the agreements. The aims of this commentary on the study of Labonté et al are to show that an understanding of the health effects of the TPP is incomplete without a political analysis of policy formation, and that realist methods can be useful to uncover the mechanisms underlying TPP’s political and policy processes. PMID:28812839

  15. Vulnerability to drought-induced embolism of Bornean heath and dipterocarp forest trees.

    PubMed

    Tyree, Melvin T.; Patiño, Sandra; Becker, Peter

    1998-01-01

    Occasional droughts may be important in controlling the distribution and structure of forest types in relatively aseasonal north Borneo. The low water retention capacity of the coarse, sandy soils on which tropical heath forest occurs may cause drought to develop more quickly and severely than on the finer textured soils of nearby dipterocarp forest. Resistance to drought-induced embolism is considered an important component of drought tolerance. We constructed embolism vulnerability curves relating loss in hydraulic conductivity to xylem tension by the air-injection method for understory trees of 14 species from both tropical heath and mixed dipterocarp forests in Brunei Darussalam. There was no significant difference (Mann-Whitney U-test, P = 0.11) between forest types in the xylem tension at which 50% loss of hydraulic conductivity occurred. Most species from both forest types were highly vulnerable to embolism compared with species from seasonal tropical forests. We speculate that other mechanisms, such as stomatal control to prevent development of embolism-inducing xylem tensions, are more cost-effective adaptations against occasional drought, but that the attendant reduction in productivity and competitive ability places a greater premium on resistance to embolism when drought is annual and predictable.

  16. Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins in Borneo: A Review of Current Knowledge with Emphasis on Sarawak.

    PubMed

    Minton, Gianna; Zulkifli Poh, Anna Norliza; Peter, Cindy; Porter, Lindsay; Kreb, Danielle

    2016-01-01

    Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) are documented from various locations along Borneo's coast, including three sites in Sarawak, Malaysia, three sites in Sabah, Malaysia, three locations in Kalimantan, Indonesia and the limited coastal waters of the Sultanate of Brunei. Observations in all these areas indicate a similar external morphology, which seems to fall somewhere between that documented for Chinese populations known as S. chinensis, and that of Sousa sahulensis in Australia and Papua New Guinea. Sightings occur in shallow nearshore waters, often near estuaries and river mouths, and associations with Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris) are frequently documented. Population estimates exist for only two locations and sightings information throughout Borneo indicates that frequency of occurrence is rare and group size is usually small. Threats from fisheries by-catch and coastal development are present in many locations and there are concerns over the ability of these small and fragmented populations to survive. The conservation and taxonomic status of humpback dolphins in Borneo remain unclear, and there are intriguing questions as to where these populations fit in our evolving understanding of the taxonomy of the genus. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Dealing with malaria in the last 60 years. A personal experience.

    PubMed

    de Zulueta, J

    2000-06-01

    Dealing with malaria in the last 60 years is seen by the author in the perspective of his own experience. His malaria work, which began in 1941, covered the study of the habits of the mosquitoes dwelling in the savanna country of Eastern Colombia and the effect on malaria transmission of the newly introduced DDT residual spraying. The success of the campaign he later directed in Sarawak and Brunei contributed to the launching by WHO of its global malaria eradication campaign. Further successful work in Uganda showed the possibility of effective control and even eradication in highland country but left unsolved the problem of how to interrupt transmission of holoendemic malaria in Africa. The author's work with WHO in the Middle East showed to what extent social and economic conditions could influence the course of a malaria campaign. This was also the experience in America, both in Colombia in the author's early work and later in Mexico during an evaluation of the national malaria programme. Development of insecticide resistance was also encountered in his career and the refractoriness of the European vectors was also observed in his work as a malariologist.

  18. Implementing thinking aloud pair and Pólya problem solving strategies in fractions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Simpol, N. S. H.; Shahrill, M.; Li, H.-C.; Prahmana, R. C. I.

    2017-12-01

    This study implemented two pedagogical strategies, the Thinking Aloud Pair Problem Solving and Pólya’s Problem Solving, to support students’ learning of fractions. The participants were 51 students (ages 11-13) from two Year 7 classes in a government secondary school in Brunei Darussalam. A mixed method design was employed in the present study, with data collected from the pre- and post-tests, problem solving behaviour questionnaire and interviews. The study aimed to explore if there were differences in the students’ problem solving behaviour before and after the implementation of the problem solving strategies. Results from the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test revealed a significant difference in the test results regarding student problem solving behaviour, z = -3.68, p = .000, with a higher mean score for the post-test (M = 95.5, SD = 13.8) than for the pre-test (M = 88.9, SD = 15.2). This implied that there was improvement in the students’ problem solving performance from the pre-test to the post-test. Results from the questionnaire showed that more than half of the students increased scores in all four stages of the Pólya’s problem solving strategy, which provided further evidence of the students’ improvement in problem solving.

  19. ASEAN.

    PubMed

    1992-03-01

    ASEAN is a group of counties encompassing 3 million sq. km with 333 million inhabitants, of whom approximately 65% are literate. The group was formed August 8, 1967, and includes Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Malay, Indonesian, Filipino, Thai, Chinese, and English are spoken by Malay, Thai, Chinese, Indian, and other ethnic groups who variously are of the Islamic, Buddhist, Christian, Taoist, and Hindu faiths. Life expectancy is approximately 85 years, with the marked exception of Indonesia. The gross domestic product is $303 billion, growing at a rate of 7.6%. Per capita income is $950. The group's natural resources include petroleum, natural gas, timber, tin, nickel, copper, iron, bauxite, and other minerals. The agricultural products rice, rubber, cassava, sugar, coffee, corn, pineapple, bananas, coconuts, and palm oil, as well as electronics, petroleum, textiles, minerals, chemicals, food processing, wood products, fabricated steel, and ships are areas of economic production. Machinery and other capital goods, chemicals, oil, and food are imported, and office machinery and electronics, petroleum, textiles, telecommunications equipment, natural rubber, processed seafood and fruits, wood products, tin, palm oil, sugar, and coffee are exported. In-depth information is also given on the people and history, intraregional and international cooperation, political conditions, the economy, defense, foreign relations, and relations with the US.

  20. Low energy, low latitude wave-dominated shallow marine depositional systems: examples from northern Borneo

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lambiase, Joseph J.; Suraya Tulot

    2013-12-01

    The depositional environments of the wave-dominant successions in the middle to late Miocene Belait and Sandakan Formations in northwestern and northern Borneo, respectively, were determined based on grain size distributions, sedimentary structures and facies successions, as well as trace and microfossil assemblages. Generally, progradational shoreface successions in the Belait Formation were deposited in very low wave energy environments where longshore currents were too weak to generate trough cross-bedding. Shoreface sands are laterally continuous for several km and follow the basin contours, suggesting attached beaches similar to the modern Brunei coastline. In contrast, trough cross-bedding is common in the coarser Sandakan Formation and back-barrier mangrove swamp deposits cap the progradational succession as on the modern northern Dent Peninsula coastline, indicating barrier development and higher wave energy conditions than in the Belait Formation. The Borneo examples indicate that barrier systems that include significant tidal facies form under higher wave energy conditions than attached beaches with virtually no tidal facies. Also, Borneo's low latitude climate promotes back-barrier mangrove which reduces tidal exchange and reduces tidal influence relative to comparable temperate climate systems. The results of the study indicate that depositional systems on low energy, wave-dominated coasts are highly variable, as are the sand bodies and facies associations they generate.

  1. How temporal patterns in rainfall determine the geomorphology and carbon fluxes of tropical peatlands.

    PubMed

    Cobb, Alexander R; Hoyt, Alison M; Gandois, Laure; Eri, Jangarun; Dommain, René; Abu Salim, Kamariah; Kai, Fuu Ming; Haji Su'ut, Nur Salihah; Harvey, Charles F

    2017-06-27

    Tropical peatlands now emit hundreds of megatons of carbon dioxide per year because of human disruption of the feedbacks that link peat accumulation and groundwater hydrology. However, no quantitative theory has existed for how patterns of carbon storage and release accompanying growth and subsidence of tropical peatlands are affected by climate and disturbance. Using comprehensive data from a pristine peatland in Brunei Darussalam, we show how rainfall and groundwater flow determine a shape parameter (the Laplacian of the peat surface elevation) that specifies, under a given rainfall regime, the ultimate, stable morphology, and hence carbon storage, of a tropical peatland within a network of rivers or canals. We find that peatlands reach their ultimate shape first at the edges of peat domes where they are bounded by rivers, so that the rate of carbon uptake accompanying their growth is proportional to the area of the still-growing dome interior. We use this model to study how tropical peatland carbon storage and fluxes are controlled by changes in climate, sea level, and drainage networks. We find that fluctuations in net precipitation on timescales from hours to years can reduce long-term peat accumulation. Our mathematical and numerical models can be used to predict long-term effects of changes in temporal rainfall patterns and drainage networks on tropical peatland geomorphology and carbon storage.

  2. How temporal patterns in rainfall determine the geomorphology and carbon fluxes of tropical peatlands

    PubMed Central

    Hoyt, Alison M.; Gandois, Laure; Eri, Jangarun; Dommain, René; Abu Salim, Kamariah; Kai, Fuu Ming; Haji Su’ut, Nur Salihah; Harvey, Charles F.

    2017-01-01

    Tropical peatlands now emit hundreds of megatons of carbon dioxide per year because of human disruption of the feedbacks that link peat accumulation and groundwater hydrology. However, no quantitative theory has existed for how patterns of carbon storage and release accompanying growth and subsidence of tropical peatlands are affected by climate and disturbance. Using comprehensive data from a pristine peatland in Brunei Darussalam, we show how rainfall and groundwater flow determine a shape parameter (the Laplacian of the peat surface elevation) that specifies, under a given rainfall regime, the ultimate, stable morphology, and hence carbon storage, of a tropical peatland within a network of rivers or canals. We find that peatlands reach their ultimate shape first at the edges of peat domes where they are bounded by rivers, so that the rate of carbon uptake accompanying their growth is proportional to the area of the still-growing dome interior. We use this model to study how tropical peatland carbon storage and fluxes are controlled by changes in climate, sea level, and drainage networks. We find that fluctuations in net precipitation on timescales from hours to years can reduce long-term peat accumulation. Our mathematical and numerical models can be used to predict long-term effects of changes in temporal rainfall patterns and drainage networks on tropical peatland geomorphology and carbon storage. PMID:28607068

  3. Maternal, neonatal, and child health in southeast Asia: towards greater regional collaboration.

    PubMed

    Acuin, Cecilia S; Khor, Geok Lin; Liabsuetrakul, Tippawan; Achadi, Endang L; Htay, Thein Thein; Firestone, Rebecca; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A

    2011-02-05

    Although maternal and child mortality are on the decline in southeast Asia, there are still major disparities, and greater equity is key to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. We used comparable cross-national data sources to document mortality trends from 1990 to 2008 and to assess major causes of maternal and child deaths. We present inequalities in intervention coverage by two common measures of wealth quintiles and rural or urban status. Case studies of reduction in mortality in Thailand and Indonesia indicate the varying extents of success and point to some factors that accelerate progress. We developed a Lives Saved Tool analysis for the region and for country subgroups to estimate deaths averted by cause and intervention. We identified three major patterns of maternal and child mortality reduction: early, rapid downward trends (Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand); initially high declines (sustained by Vietnam but faltering in the Philippines and Indonesia); and high initial rates with a downward trend (Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar). Economic development seems to provide an important context that should be coupled with broader health-system interventions. Increasing coverage and consideration of the health-system context is needed, and regional support from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations can provide increased policy support to achieve maternal, neonatal, and child health goals. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. The roles of weather modification technology in mitigation of the peat fires during a period of dry season in Bengkalis, Indonesia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sandhyavitri, A.; Perdana, M. A.; Sutikno, S.; Widodo, F. H.

    2018-02-01

    The annual peat fire disasters have suffered human life, deteriorated peat land ecosystems, and caused severe economic losses in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore during a period of 2014-2016. The objective of this study is to investigate to what extent the weather modification technology (WMT) may play its roles in increasing the precipitation rates in order to mitigate the peat fires disaster in Bengkalis, Riau Province, Indonesia. The study obtained the precipitation rates data from the tropical rainfall measuring mission (TRMM) satellite during the period of 2014, 2015 and 2016. The data then statistically analyzed using the Grads software package. While the process of WMT at the designated research location was evaluated together between the Artificial Rain Unit of BPPT (Agency for the Assessment and Application Technology), and the Engineering Faculty, University of Riau, 2016. The research showed that the WMT increased the rainfall rates during the dry season within the study area by 8% (520.7 mm to 557 mm) in the 3 months period (July 14 -October 6, 2016), and reducing significantly hotspots by 88.6% from 6.725 in 2014 to 770 in 2016. Hence, it confirmed that the application of technical WMT procedures may increase precipitation rates and reduce the number of hot spots in Bengkalis.

  5. The Distribution and Population Density of Bornean Tarsier, "Tarsius Bancanus Borneanus (Elliot)" in Secondary and Rehabilitated Forests of Universiti Putra Malaysia, Bintulu Sarawak Campus, Sarawak, Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Sahimi, Hani Nabilia Muhd; Chubo, John Keen; Top Mohd Tah, Marina Mohd; Saripuddin, Noor Bahiah; Ab Rahim, Siti Sarah

    2018-03-01

    Tarsius bancanus borneanus was first reported by Elliot in 1990 which an endemic species that can be found on the Island of Borneo consisting of Sabah and Sarawak of Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and Kalimantan, Indonesia. This sub-species has been listed as a totally protected animal under the Sarawak Wild Life Protection Ordinance (1998) and vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The present study was conducted at Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Campus (UPMKB), Sarawak from October 2014 till March 2015. Through mark and recapture sampling covering an area of 37 ha of secondary forest patches and 7.13 ha of rehabilitated forest, a total of 16 tarsiers were captured using mist nets while one tarsier was recapture. The population density was 38 individuals/km 2 was captured using mist nets in the secondary forest while 28 individuals/km 2 was recorded for the rehabilitated forest. Using the catch per unit effort (net hour) method, the average time for capturing tarsiers in the secondary forest patches was 26.6 net hour per animal and 30.0 net hour per animal in the rehabilitated forest. The presented results provides information on the presence of tarsiers in both the secondary and rehabilitated forests of UPMKB, Sarawak, Malaysia which underlines the conservation value of these forested areas.

  6. The Distribution and Population Density of Bornean Tarsier, “Tarsius Bancanus Borneanus (Elliot)” in Secondary and Rehabilitated Forests of Universiti Putra Malaysia, Bintulu Sarawak Campus, Sarawak, Malaysia

    PubMed Central

    Sahimi, Hani Nabilia Muhd; Chubo, John Keen; Top @ Mohd. Tah, Marina Mohd.; Saripuddin, Noor Bahiah; Ab Rahim, Siti Sarah

    2018-01-01

    Tarsius bancanus borneanus was first reported by Elliot in 1990 which an endemic species that can be found on the Island of Borneo consisting of Sabah and Sarawak of Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and Kalimantan, Indonesia. This sub-species has been listed as a totally protected animal under the Sarawak Wild Life Protection Ordinance (1998) and vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The present study was conducted at Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Campus (UPMKB), Sarawak from October 2014 till March 2015. Through mark and recapture sampling covering an area of 37 ha of secondary forest patches and 7.13 ha of rehabilitated forest, a total of 16 tarsiers were captured using mist nets while one tarsier was recapture. The population density was 38 individuals/km2 was captured using mist nets in the secondary forest while 28 individuals/km2 was recorded for the rehabilitated forest. Using the catch per unit effort (net hour) method, the average time for capturing tarsiers in the secondary forest patches was 26.6 net hour per animal and 30.0 net hour per animal in the rehabilitated forest. The presented results provides information on the presence of tarsiers in both the secondary and rehabilitated forests of UPMKB, Sarawak, Malaysia which underlines the conservation value of these forested areas. PMID:29644021

  7. ASEAN.

    PubMed

    1989-03-01

    The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established in 1967 to strengthen regional cohesion and self-reliance while emphasizing social, economic, and cultural cooperation and development. Its member states include Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. ASEAN encompasses a population of 321.2 million, with an average annual growth rate of 2.1%. Its gross domestic product was US$196 billion in 1987, with a per capita GDP of $621 and an annual growth rate of 5.8%. A striking characteristic of ASEAN is its wide diversity in terms of race (Malay, Thai, Chinese, Indian), culture, languages, and religion. Although ASEAN has gradually developed a number of formal consultative meetings and committees, it has only a limited permanent structure. Decisions are made by consensus or through informal, ad hoc consultations. The periodic meetings of the 6 foreign ministers constitute the principal decision-making body. The ASEAN nations are mainly committed to market and export-oriented economic growth strategies. Except for Singapore, the ASEAN economies are heavily agricultural, producing primarily rice. In the modern sector, all of the economies (except for Singapore's) are heavily reliant on basic industries, but high-technology manufacturing (e.g., electronic components) is becoming more important. ASEAN has demonstrated a remarkable ability to put aside historical disputes and limited economic complementarity to concentrate on issues of common interest. All 6 member nations have made preservation and enhancement of regional cohesion through ASEAN a foreign policy priority.

  8. Teaching problem solving using non-routine tasks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chong, Maureen Siew Fang; Shahrill, Masitah; Putri, Ratu Ilma Indra; Zulkardi

    2018-04-01

    Non-routine problems are related to real-life context and require some realistic considerations and real-world knowledge in order to resolve them. This study examines several activity tasks incorporated with non-routine problems through the use of an emerging mathematics framework, at two junior colleges in Brunei Darussalam. The three sampled teachers in this study assisted in selecting the topics and the lesson plan designs. They also recommended the development of the four activity tasks: incorporating the use of technology; simulation of a reality television show; designing real-life sized car park spaces for the school; and a classroom activity to design a real-life sized dustpan. Data collected from all four of the activity tasks were analyzed based on the students' group work. The findings revealed that the most effective activity task in teaching problem solving was to design a real-life sized car park. This was because the use of real data gave students the opportunity to explore, gather information and give or receive feedback on the effect of their reasons and proposed solutions. The second most effective activity task was incorporating the use of technology as it enhanced the students' understanding of the concepts learnt in the classroom. This was followed by the classroom activity that used real data as it allowed students to work and assess the results mathematically. The simulation of a television show was found to be the least effective since it was viewed as not sufficiently challenging to the students.

  9. El Niño timings and rainfall extremes in India, Southeast Asia and China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kane, R. P.

    1999-05-01

    Whereas some El Niño years are known to be associated with droughts in some parts of the globe, notably India, other El Niños do not seem to be effective. Recently, it was observed that Unambiguous ENSOW (El Niño years, in which the Southern Oscillation Index minima and Pacific sea surface temperature maxima occurred in the middle of the calendar year) were better associated with droughts. This association was checked for rainfalls in South Asia and China. Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia and East Asia (comprising of the People's Republic of China and adjacent regions, including India) showed a good association of Unambiguous ENSOW events with droughts. Thailand, Malaysia and the whole Philippines showed some association; but the northwest Philippines showed opposite results. To find a rational for this criterion, it was checked whether such events were in any way related to the timings of the El Niño events. In general, El Niños active during the main rainy season (June-September for all India's summer monsoon rainfall) were better associated with droughts. But some events did not fit this pattern. Also, many years not having El Niños were associated with droughts. Thus, the El Niño relationship is not clear-cut and predictions based on the same alone are likely to go wrong more often than not, as in the case of the recent El Niño (1997).

  10. The Scale of Sexual Aggression in Southeast Asia: A Review.

    PubMed

    Winzer, Lylla; Krahé, Barbara; Guest, Philip

    2017-01-01

    Southeast Asia is one of the most dynamic regions in the world. It is experiencing rapid socioeconomic change that may influence the level of sexual aggression, but data on the scale of sexual aggression in the region remain sparse. The aim of the present article was to systematically review the findings of studies available in English on the prevalence of self-reported sexual aggression and victimization among women and men above the age of 12 years in the 11 countries of Southeast Asia (Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam). Based on four scientific databases, the search engine Google, Opengrey database, and reference checking, 49 studies were found on sexual victimization. Of those, 32 included only women. Self-reported perpetration was assessed by only three studies and included all-male samples. Prevalence rates varied widely across studies but showed that sexual victimization was widespread among different social groups, irrespective of sex and sexual orientation. Methodological heterogeneity, lack of representativeness of samples, imbalance of information available by country, missing information within studies, and cultural differences hampered the comparability between and within countries. There is a need for operationalizations that specifically address sexual aggression occurring after the age of consent, based on detailed behavioral descriptions of unwanted sexual experiences and allied to a qualitative approach with cultural sensitivity. Data on sexual aggression in conflict settings and in human trafficking are also limited. Recommendations for future research are presented in the discussion.

  11. Economic and Disease Burden of Dengue in Southeast Asia

    PubMed Central

    Shepard, Donald S.; Undurraga, Eduardo A.; Halasa, Yara A.

    2013-01-01

    Background Dengue poses a substantial economic and disease burden in Southeast Asia (SEA). Quantifying this burden is critical to set policy priorities and disease-control strategies. Methods and Findings We estimated the economic and disease burden of dengue in 12 countries in SEA: Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, East-Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam. We obtained reported cases from multiple sources—surveillance data, World Health Organization (WHO), and published studies—and adjusted for underreporting using expansion factors from previous literature. We obtained unit costs per episode through a systematic literature review, and completed missing data using linear regressions. We excluded costs such as prevention and vector control, and long-term sequelae of dengue. Over the decade of 2001–2010, we obtained an annual average of 2.9 million (m) dengue episodes and 5,906 deaths. The annual economic burden (with 95% certainty levels) was US$950m (US$610m–US$1,384m) or about US$1.65 (US$1.06–US$2.41) per capita. The annual number of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), based on the original 1994 definition, was 214,000 (120,000–299,000), which is equivalent to 372 (210–520) DALYs per million inhabitants. Conclusion Dengue poses a substantial economic and disease burden in SEA with a DALY burden per million inhabitants in the region. This burden is higher than that of 17 other conditions, including Japanese encephalitis, upper respiratory infections, and hepatitis B. PMID:23437406

  12. Understanding the Southeast Asian haze

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    G, Karthik K. R.; Baikie, T.; T, Mohan Dass E.; Huang, Y. Z.; Guet, C.

    2017-08-01

    The Southeast Asian region had been subjected to a drastic reduction in air quality from the biomass burnings that occurred in 2013 and 2015. The smoke from the biomass burnings covered the entire region including Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, with haze particulate matter (PM) reducing the air quality to hazardous levels. Here we report a comprehensive size-composition-morphology characterization of the PM collected from an urban site in Singapore during the two haze events. The two haze events were a result of biomass burning and occurred in two different geographical source regions. We show the similarities and variations of particle size distribution during hazy and clear days during the two haze events. Sub-micron particles (<1 μm) dominate (˜50%) the aerosols in the atmosphere during clear and hazy days. Using electron microscopy, we also categorize the PM, namely soot, organic-inorganic clusters and hybrid particles. The composition and morphology were similar in both the haze events. The majority of the PM is composed of carbon (˜51%) and other elements pertaining to the earth’s crust. The complexity of the mixing state of the PM is highlighted and the role of the capture mode is addressed. We also present the morphological characterization of all the classified PM. The box counting method is used to determine the fractal dimensions of the PM, and the dimensionality varied for every classification from 1.79 to 1.88. We also report the complexities of particles and inconsistencies in the existing approaches to understand them.

  13. Just Say No to the TPP: A Democratic Setback for American and Asian Public Health Comment on "The Trans-Pacific Partnership: Is It Everything We Feared for Health?"

    PubMed

    Muntaner, Carles; Mahabir, Deb Finn

    2016-11-06

    (TPP) policy and the severe threats to public health that it implies for 12 Pacific Rim populations from the Americas and Asia (Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, United States, and Vietnam). With careful and analytic precision the authors convincingly unearth many aspects of this piece of legislation that undermine the public health achievements of most countries involved in the TTP. Our comments complement their policy analysis with the aim of providing a positive heuristic tool to assist in the understanding of the TPP, and other upcoming treaties like the even more encompassing Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), and in so doing motivate the public health community to oppose the implementation of the relevant provisions of the agreements. The aims of this commentary on the study of Labonté et al are to show that an understanding of the health effects of the TPP is incomplete without a political analysis of policy formation, and that realist methods can be useful to uncover the mechanisms underlying TPP's political and policy processes. © 2017 The Author(s); Published by Kerman University of Medical Sciences. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

  14. Sexually transmitted disease (STD) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in South East Asia.

    PubMed

    Ismail, R

    1999-01-01

    This article reports on the prevalence of AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in Southeast Asia. The spread of HIV infection in this region has been predicted to be worse than that of Africa. The high-prevalence countries are Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar, where prevalence rates in the population at risk (15-49 year olds) are up to 2%; while low prevalence countries with rates of 0.1% include the Philippines, Indonesia, Laos, Brunei, and Singapore. Heterosexual transmission in Southeast Asia is the main mode of spread of HIV. Another route is through migration, rural-to-urban or international migration of people seeking jobs; with concurrent loneliness and anonymity, they become vulnerable to STDs and HIV infection. Intravenous drug use poses an increasing risk of transmission. The unavailability of data in some countries makes it difficult to evaluate the extent of the epidemic or if there's an impending epidemic. There are a number of caveats to the data compilation from various countries. These include the following: under-reporting of cases; underdiagnosis; missed diagnosis; and differences in the time of data collection. It is clear that poverty, illiteracy, and poor access to educational information in most countries in this region facilitate the rapid spread of HIV. These coupled with lack of primary health care services, and in most instances, enormously high cost of drugs make the pain and suffering due to the HIV/AIDS epidemic a human disaster far worse than the ravages of war.

  15. Constructivist-Visual Mind Map Teaching Approach and the Quality of Students' Cognitive Structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dhindsa, Harkirat S.; Makarimi-Kasim; Roger Anderson, O.

    2011-04-01

    This study compared the effects of a constructivist-visual mind map teaching approach (CMA) and of a traditional teaching approach (TTA) on (a) the quality and richness of students' knowledge structures and (b) TTA and CMA students' perceptions of the extent that a constructivist learning environment (CLE) was created in their classes. The sample of the study consisted of six classes (140 Form 3 students of 13-15 years old) selected from a typical coeducational school in Brunei. Three classes (40 boys and 30 girls) were taught using the TTA while three other classes (41 boys and 29 girls) used the CMA, enriched with PowerPoint presentations. After the interventions (lessons on magnetism), the students in both groups were asked to describe in writing their understanding of magnetism accrued from the lessons. Their written descriptions were analyzed using flow map analyses to assess their content knowledge and its organisation in memory as evidence of cognitive structure. The extent of CLE was measured using a published CLE survey. The results showed that the cognitive structures of the CMA students were more extensive, thematically organised and richer in interconnectedness of thoughts than those of TTA students. Moreover, CMA students also perceived their classroom learning environment to be more constructivist than their counterparts. It is, therefore, recommended that teachers consider using the CMA teaching technique to help students enrich their understanding, especially for more complex or abstract scientific content.

  16. The South East Asian Federation of Organizations for Medical Physics (SEAFOMP): Its history and role in the ASEAN countries.

    PubMed

    Ng, Kh; Wong, Jhd

    2008-04-01

    Informal discussion started in 1996 and the South East Asian Federation of Organizations for Medical Physics (SEAFOMP) was officially accepted as a regional chapter of the IOMP at the Chicago World Congress in 2000 with five member countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Professor Kwan-Hoong Ng served as the founding president until 2006. Brunei (2002) and Vietnam (2005) joined subsequently. We are very grateful to the founding members of SEAFOMP: Anchali Krisanachinda, Kwan-Hoong Ng, Agnette Peralta, Ratana Pirabul, Djarwani S Soejoko and Toh-Jui Wong.The objectives of SEAFOMP are to promote (i) co-operation and communication between medical physics organizations in the region; (ii) medical physics and related activities in the region; (iii) the advancement in status and standard of practice of the medical physics profession; (iv) to organize and/or sponsor international and regional conferences, meetings or courses; (v) to collaborate or affiliate with other scientific organizations.SEAFOMP has been organizing a series of congresses to promote scientific exchange and mutual support. The South East Asian Congress of Medical Physics (SEACOMP) series was held respectively in Kuala Lumpur (2001), Bangkok (2003), Kuala Lumpur (2004) and Jakarta (2006). The respective congress themes indicated the emphasis and status of development. The number of participants (countries in parentheses) was encouraging: 110 (17), 150 (16), 220 (23) and 126 (7).In honour of the late Professor John Cameron, an eponymous lecture was established. The inaugural John Cameron Lecture was delivered by Professor Willi Kalender in 2004. His lecture was titled "Recent Developments in Volume CT Scanning".

  17. SEATCA Tobacco Industry Interference Index: a tool for measuring implementation of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Article 5.3

    PubMed Central

    Assunta, Mary; Dorotheo, E Ulysses

    2016-01-01

    Objective To measure the implementation of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Article 5.3 at country level using a new Tobacco Industry Interference Index and to report initial results using this index in seven Southeast Asian countries. Methods Score sheet based on WHO FCTC Article 5.3 Guidelines sent to correspondents in seven Southeast Asian countries, using a scoring system designed with the help of tobacco control experts and validated through focused group discussions. Results The seven countries ranked from the lowest level of interference to the highest are Brunei, Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. Countries that face high levels of unnecessary interaction with the tobacco industry also face high levels of tobacco industry influence in policy development. Most governments do not allow any tobacco industry representatives on their delegation to sessions of the Conference of the Parties or its subsidiary bodies nor accept their sponsorship for delegates, but most governments still accept or endorse offers of assistance from the tobacco industry in implementing tobacco control policies. Most governments also receive tobacco industry contributions (monetary or in kind) or endorse industry corporate social responsibility activities. Governments do not have a procedure for disclosing interactions with the tobacco industry, but Lao PDR, Philippines and Thailand have instituted measures to prevent or reduce industry interference. Conclusions This Tobacco Industry Interference Index, based on the WHO FCTC Article 5.3 Guidelines, is a useful advocacy tool for identifying both progress and gaps in national efforts at implementing WHO FCTC Article 5.3. PMID:25908597

  18. The political economy of tobacco and poverty alleviation in Southeast Asia: contradictions in the role of the state.

    PubMed

    Barraclough, Simon; Morrow, Martha

    2010-03-01

    Of the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), all but Indonesia have embraced the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and all endorse some form of tobacco control policy. Nevertheless, except for Brunei, all these states are, to varying degrees, complicit in investing in or promoting the tobacco industry, often using the justification of poverty alleviation. Tobacco use is the major preventable cause of illness and death among the populations of these countries. Claims that tobacco alleviates poverty in developing countries have increasingly been discredited: thus continuing state support for the industry represents a fundamental paradox. Using primary documents from governments and the tobacco industry, and published studies investigating tobacco and poverty, this article explores the contradictions inherent in the state seeking to prevent tobacco use in the interests of health, while actively promoting tobacco for the economic benefit of its citizens. These contradictions result in both symbolic and substantial harm to tobacco control efforts: tobacco production is legitimized, rational policy principles are violated, direct cooperation between the state and multinational tobacco corporations is made possible with associated opportunities for mollifying control policies, and different state agencies work at cross purposes. Although tobacco exports within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) also threaten the group's health solidarity, it is argued that divestiture of state ownership of capital in tobacco corporations and a commitment by states not to promote tobacco are urgently required if the Convention is to have full effect both in the countries of the region and in other states that have ratified it.

  19. Second-chance university admission, the theory of planned behaviour and student achievement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alas, Yabit; Anshari, Muhammad; Sabtu, Norakmarul Ihsan; Yunus, Norazmah

    2016-06-01

    The theory of planned behaviour attempts to explain factors which influence behaviour. One of these factors is intention. Positive or negative intentions are formed by a person's impression of the way other people would perceive similar behaviour (external forces). The authors of this study used the theory of planned behaviour to examine, compare and interpret the academic performance of students entering a university either via direct intake or via a bridging programme. This study focuses on the UniBridge programme offered by Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), which is an intensive one-semester course that prepares students for undergraduate-level study. While direct-intake applicants pass minimum requirements for entry and are able to enrol directly into an undergraduate programme, applicants who do not meet these minimum requirements can join this bridging programme which is designed to be a "second-chance" entry option. Using a mixed-methods approach, the authors subjected student performance data of both direct-intake and bridge-programme undergraduates to statistical analyses, carried out interviews and then used the theoretical framework of planned behaviour to pinpoint individual attitudes and social pressures which form an intention to prepare for entry examinations. The results were mostly consistent and showed that the two groups were competitive in terms of undergraduate academic achievement, thus proving the second-chance programme to be effective in enabling students with poor A-Level results to experience academic confidence at university level. On the strength of these findings, the authors conclude their paper with recommendations for tertiary institutions to support lifelong learning initiatives through the use of multiple channels of entry.

  20. The Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement, intellectual property and medicines: Differential outcomes for developed and developing countries.

    PubMed

    Gleeson, Deborah; Lexchin, Joel; Lopert, Ruth; Kilic, Burcu

    2018-04-01

    The final text of the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), agreed between the 12 negotiating countries in 2016, included a suite of intellectual property provisions intended to expand and extend pharmaceutical company exclusivities on medicines. It drew wide criticism for including such provisions in an agreement that involved developing countries (Vietnam, Peru, Malaysia, Mexico, Chile and Brunei Darussalam) because of the effect on delaying the introduction of low-cost generics. While developing nations negotiated transition periods for implementing some obligations, all parties would have eventually been expected to meet the same standards had the TPP come into force. While the TPP has stalled following US withdrawal, there are moves by some of the remaining countries to reinvigorate the agreement without the United States. The proponents may seek to retain as much as possible of the original text in the hope that the United States will re-join the accord in future. This article presents a comparative analysis of the impact the final 2016 TPP intellectual property chapter could be expected to have (if implemented in its current form) on the intellectual property laws and regulatory regimes for medicines in the TPP countries. Drawing on the published literature, it traces the likely impact on access to medicines. It focuses particularly on the differential impact on regulatory frameworks for developed and developing nations (in terms of whether or not legislative action would have been required to implement the agreement). The article also explores the political and economic dynamics that contributed to these differential outcomes.

  1. The Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement, intellectual property and medicines: Differential outcomes for developed and developing countries

    PubMed Central

    Gleeson, Deborah; Lexchin, Joel; Lopert, Ruth; Kilic, Burcu

    2017-01-01

    The final text of the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), agreed between the 12 negotiating countries in 2016, included a suite of intellectual property provisions intended to expand and extend pharmaceutical company exclusivities on medicines. It drew wide criticism for including such provisions in an agreement that involved developing countries (Vietnam, Peru, Malaysia, Mexico, Chile and Brunei Darussalam) because of the effect on delaying the introduction of low-cost generics. While developing nations negotiated transition periods for implementing some obligations, all parties would have eventually been expected to meet the same standards had the TPP come into force. While the TPP has stalled following US withdrawal, there are moves by some of the remaining countries to reinvigorate the agreement without the United States. The proponents may seek to retain as much as possible of the original text in the hope that the United States will re-join the accord in future. This article presents a comparative analysis of the impact the final 2016 TPP intellectual property chapter could be expected to have (if implemented in its current form) on the intellectual property laws and regulatory regimes for medicines in the TPP countries. Drawing on the published literature, it traces the likely impact on access to medicines. It focuses particularly on the differential impact on regulatory frameworks for developed and developing nations (in terms of whether or not legislative action would have been required to implement the agreement). The article also explores the political and economic dynamics that contributed to these differential outcomes. PMID:29706802

  2. Different pitcher shapes and trapping syndromes explain resource partitioning in Nepenthes species.

    PubMed

    Gaume, Laurence; Bazile, Vincent; Huguin, Maïlis; Bonhomme, Vincent

    2016-03-01

    Nepenthes pitcher plants display interspecific diversity in pitcher form and diets. This species-rich genus might be a conspicuous candidate for an adaptive radiation. However, the pitcher traits of different species have never been quantified in a comparative study, nor have their possible adaptations to the resources they exploit been tested. In this study, we compare the pitcher features and prey composition of the seven Nepenthes taxa that grow in the heath forest of Brunei (Borneo) and investigate whether these species display different trapping syndromes that target different prey. The Nepenthes species are shown to display species-specific combinations of pitcher shapes, volumes, rewards, attraction and capture traits, and different degrees of ontogenetic pitcher dimorphism. The prey spectra also differ among plant species and between ontogenetic morphotypes in their combinations of ants, flying insects, termites, and noninsect guilds. According to a discriminant analysis, the Nepenthes species collected at the same site differ significantly in prey abundance and composition at the level of order, showing niche segregation but with varying degrees of niche overlap according to pairwise species comparisons. Weakly carnivorous species are first characterized by an absence of attractive traits. Generalist carnivorous species have a sweet odor, a wide pitcher aperture, and an acidic pitcher fluid. Guild specializations are explained by different combinations of morpho-functional traits. Ant captures increase with extrafloral nectar, fluid acidity, and slippery waxy walls. Termite captures increase with narrowness of pitchers, presence of a rim of edible trichomes, and symbiotic association with ants. The abundance of flying insects is primarily correlated with pitcher conicity, pitcher aperture diameter, and odor presence. Such species-specific syndromes favoring resource partitioning may result from local character displacement by competition and/or previous adaptations to geographically distinct environments.

  3. The South East Asian Federation of Organizations for Medical Physics (SEAFOMP): Its history and role in the ASEAN countries

    PubMed Central

    Ng, KH; Wong, JHD

    2008-01-01

    Informal discussion started in 1996 and the South East Asian Federation of Organizations for Medical Physics (SEAFOMP) was officially accepted as a regional chapter of the IOMP at the Chicago World Congress in 2000 with five member countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Professor Kwan-Hoong Ng served as the founding president until 2006. Brunei (2002) and Vietnam (2005) joined subsequently. We are very grateful to the founding members of SEAFOMP: Anchali Krisanachinda, Kwan-Hoong Ng, Agnette Peralta, Ratana Pirabul, Djarwani S Soejoko and Toh-Jui Wong. The objectives of SEAFOMP are to promote (i) co-operation and communication between medical physics organizations in the region; (ii) medical physics and related activities in the region; (iii) the advancement in status and standard of practice of the medical physics profession; (iv) to organize and/or sponsor international and regional conferences, meetings or courses; (v) to collaborate or affiliate with other scientific organizations. SEAFOMP has been organizing a series of congresses to promote scientific exchange and mutual support. The South East Asian Congress of Medical Physics (SEACOMP) series was held respectively in Kuala Lumpur (2001), Bangkok (2003), Kuala Lumpur (2004) and Jakarta (2006). The respective congress themes indicated the emphasis and status of development. The number of participants (countries in parentheses) was encouraging: 110 (17), 150 (16), 220 (23) and 126 (7). In honour of the late Professor John Cameron, an eponymous lecture was established. The inaugural John Cameron Lecture was delivered by Professor Willi Kalender in 2004. His lecture was titled “Recent Developments in Volume CT Scanning”. PMID:21614324

  4. Structural Determinants and Children's Oral Health: A Cross-National Study.

    PubMed

    Baker, S R; Foster Page, L; Thomson, W M; Broomhead, T; Bekes, K; Benson, P E; Aguilar-Diaz, F; Do, L; Hirsch, C; Marshman, Z; McGrath, C; Mohamed, A; Robinson, P G; Traebert, J; Turton, B; Gibson, B J

    2018-03-01

    Much research on children's oral health has focused on proximal determinants at the expense of distal (upstream) factors. Yet, such upstream factors-the so-called structural determinants of health-play a crucial role. Children's lives, and in turn their health, are shaped by politics, economic forces, and social and public policies. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between children's clinical (number of decayed, missing, and filled teeth) and self-reported oral health (oral health-related quality of life) and 4 key structural determinants (governance, macroeconomic policy, public policy, and social policy) as outlined in the World Health Organization's Commission for Social Determinants of Health framework. Secondary data analyses were carried out using subnational epidemiological samples of 8- to 15-y-olds in 11 countries ( N = 6,648): Australia (372), New Zealand (three samples; 352, 202, 429), Brunei (423), Cambodia (423), Hong Kong (542), Malaysia (439), Thailand (261, 506), United Kingdom (88, 374), Germany (1498), Mexico (335), and Brazil (404). The results indicated that the type of political regime, amount of governance (e.g., rule of law, accountability), gross domestic product per capita, employment ratio, income inequality, type of welfare regime, human development index, government expenditure on health, and out-of-pocket (private) health expenditure by citizens were all associated with children's oral health. The structural determinants accounted for between 5% and 21% of the variance in children's oral health quality-of-life scores. These findings bring attention to the upstream or structural determinants as an understudied area but one that could reap huge rewards for public health dentistry research and the oral health inequalities policy agenda.

  5. Simulation of Smoke-Haze Dispersion from Wildfires in South East Asia with a Lagrangian Particle Model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hertwig, D.; Burgin, L.; Gan, C.; Hort, M.; Jones, A. R.; Shaw, F.; Witham, C. S.; Zhang, K.

    2014-12-01

    Biomass burning, often related to agricultural deforestation, not only affects local pollution levels but periodically deteriorates air quality in many South East Asian megacities due to the transboundary transport of smoke-haze. In June 2013, Singapore experienced the worst wildfire related air-pollution event on record following from the escalation of peatland fires in Sumatra. An extended dry period together with anomalous westerly winds resulted in severe and unhealthy pollution levels in Singapore that lasted for more than two weeks. Reacting to this event, the Met Office and the Meteorological Service Singapore have explored how to adequately simulate haze-pollution dispersion, with the aim to provide a reliable operational forecast for Singapore. Simulations with the Lagrangian particle model NAME (Numerical Atmospheric-dispersion Modelling Environment), running on numerical weather prediction data from the Met Office and Meteorological Service Singapore and emission data derived from satellite observations of the fire radiative power, are validated against PM10 observations in South East Asia. Comparisons of simulated concentrations with hourly averages of PM10 measurements in Singapore show that the model captures well the severe smoke-haze event in June 2013 and a minor episode in March 2014. Different quantitative satellite-derived emissions have been tested, with one source demonstrating a consistent factor of two under-prediction for Singapore. Confidence in the skill of the model system has been substantiated by further comparisons with data from monitoring sites in Malaysia, Brunei and Thailand. Following the validation study, operational smoke-haze pollution forecasts with NAME were launched in Singapore, in time for the 2014 fire season. Real-time bias correction and verification of this forecast will be discussed.

  6. Parenting Stress and Resilience in Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Southeast Asia: A Systematic Review

    PubMed Central

    Ilias, Kartini; Cornish, Kim; Kummar, Auretta S.; Park, Miriam Sang-Ah; Golden, Karen J.

    2018-01-01

    Background: This paper aimed to review the literature on the factors associated with parenting stress and resilience among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the South East Asia (SEA) region. Methods: An extensive search of articles in multiple online databases (PsycNET, ProQuest, PudMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) resulted in 28 papers that met the inclusion criteria (i.e., conducted in the SEA region, specific to ASD only, published in a peer-reviewed journal, full text in English). Studies found were conducted in the following countries: Brunei, n = 1; Indonesia, n = 2; Malaysia, n = 12; Philippines, n = 5; Singapore, n = 5, Thailand, n = 2; and Vietnam, n = 1, but none from Cambodia, East Timor, Laos, and Myanmar were identified. Results: Across the studies, six main factors were found to be associated with parenting stress: social support, severity of autism symptoms, financial difficulty, parents' perception and understanding toward ASD, parents' anxiety and worries about their child's future, and religious beliefs. These six factors could also be categorized as either a source of parenting stress or a coping strategy/resilience mechanism that may attenuate parenting stress. Conclusion: The findings suggest that greater support services in Western countries may underlie the cultural differences observed in the SEA region. Limitations in the current review were identified. The limited number of studies yielded from the search suggests a need for expanded research on ASD and parenting stress, coping, and resilience in the SEA region especially in Cambodia, East Timor, Laos, and Myanmar. The identified stress and resilience factors may serve as sociocultural markers for clinicians, psychologists, and other professionals to consider when supporting parents of children with ASD. PMID:29686632

  7. Using reference nutrient density goals with food balance sheet data to identify likely micronutrient deficits for fortification planning in countries in the Western Pacific region.

    PubMed

    Gibson, Rosalind S; Cavalli-Sforza, Tommaso

    2012-09-01

    Collection of nationwide food consumption data at the individual level is the preferred option for planning fortification programs. However, such data are seldom collected in low-income countries. In contrast, Food Balance Sheets (FBS), published annually for approximately 180 countries, may provide a source of national data for program planning. To explore the use of micronutrient densities from FBS data to identify likely deficits for eight micronutrients in national diets. Micronutrient densities in the daily available food supply per capita were calculated from the micronutrient contents of 95 food commodities in 17 Western Pacific Region countries. Densities were compared with reference nutrient density goals developed to ensure that at least 95% of individuals, irrespective of life-stage group, are likely to have adequate intakes. Of the eight micronutrients, Cambodia and Korea D.P.R. had likely deficits for six; China, Fiji, Kiribati, Korea Republic, Lao P.D.R., Philippines, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Viet Nam had likely deficits for five; Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea had likely deficits for four; and New Caledonia had likely deficits for three. The most frequent deficits were for iron, zinc, and calcium (all countries), followed by vitamin B2 and vitamin A (n = 13), vitamin B1 (n = 2), and vitamin B12 (n = 1). The nutrient density approach could be applied to FBS data for ranking countries according to likely micronutrient deficits, but it provides no information on distribution of nutrient supply for fortification program planning. The approach described here could be applied to data from Household Consumption and Expenditures Surveys (HCES) to characterize households at greatest risk.

  8. SEATCA Tobacco Industry Interference Index: a tool for measuring implementation of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Article 5.3.

    PubMed

    Assunta, Mary; Dorotheo, E Ulysses

    2016-05-01

    To measure the implementation of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Article 5.3 at country level using a new Tobacco Industry Interference Index and to report initial results using this index in seven Southeast Asian countries. Score sheet based on WHO FCTC Article 5.3 Guidelines sent to correspondents in seven Southeast Asian countries, using a scoring system designed with the help of tobacco control experts and validated through focused group discussions. The seven countries ranked from the lowest level of interference to the highest are Brunei, Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. Countries that face high levels of unnecessary interaction with the tobacco industry also face high levels of tobacco industry influence in policy development. Most governments do not allow any tobacco industry representatives on their delegation to sessions of the Conference of the Parties or its subsidiary bodies nor accept their sponsorship for delegates, but most governments still accept or endorse offers of assistance from the tobacco industry in implementing tobacco control policies. Most governments also receive tobacco industry contributions (monetary or in kind) or endorse industry corporate social responsibility activities. Governments do not have a procedure for disclosing interactions with the tobacco industry, but Lao PDR, Philippines and Thailand have instituted measures to prevent or reduce industry interference. This Tobacco Industry Interference Index, based on the WHO FCTC Article 5.3 Guidelines, is a useful advocacy tool for identifying both progress and gaps in national efforts at implementing WHO FCTC Article 5.3. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  9. A look at Asia's changing youth population.

    PubMed

    Xenos, P; Kabamalan, M; Westley, S B

    1999-01-01

    This report summarizes findings from a recent East-West Center study on demographic and social changes among young people aged 15-24 years in 17 countries in East, Southeast, and South Asia. Nearly every country in Asia has experienced fertility decline. Decline began in Japan and Singapore during the 1950s, followed by declines in Hong Kong, South Korea, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Brunei, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, and China during the 1960s. Declines occurred during the 1970s in Indonesia, India, and Myanmar. A "youth bulge" occurred about 20 years later due to declines in infant and child mortality. This bulge varies by country with the timing and magnitude of population growth and subsequent fertility decline. The proportion of youth population rises from 16% to 18% about 20 years after the beginning of fertility decline and declines to a much lower stable level after several decades. The bulge is large in countries with rapid fertility decline, such as China. Governments can minimize the effects of bulge on population growth by raising the legal age at marriage, lengthening the interval between first marriage and first birth, and increasing birth intervals. School enrollments among adolescents are rising. In South Korea, the population aged 15-24 years increased from 3.8 to 8.8 million during 1950-90, a rise of 132% compared to a rise of 653% among school enrollments. It is expected that the number of out-of-school youths will decline from 5.1 to 3.6 million during 1990-2025. Youth employment varies by gender. Policies/programs in family planning and reproductive health will need to address the changing needs of youth population.

  10. Parenting Stress and Resilience in Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Southeast Asia: A Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Ilias, Kartini; Cornish, Kim; Kummar, Auretta S; Park, Miriam Sang-Ah; Golden, Karen J

    2018-01-01

    Background: This paper aimed to review the literature on the factors associated with parenting stress and resilience among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the South East Asia (SEA) region. Methods: An extensive search of articles in multiple online databases (PsycNET, ProQuest, PudMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) resulted in 28 papers that met the inclusion criteria (i.e., conducted in the SEA region, specific to ASD only, published in a peer-reviewed journal, full text in English). Studies found were conducted in the following countries: Brunei, n = 1; Indonesia, n = 2; Malaysia, n = 12; Philippines, n = 5; Singapore, n = 5, Thailand, n = 2; and Vietnam, n = 1, but none from Cambodia, East Timor, Laos, and Myanmar were identified. Results: Across the studies, six main factors were found to be associated with parenting stress: social support, severity of autism symptoms, financial difficulty, parents' perception and understanding toward ASD, parents' anxiety and worries about their child's future, and religious beliefs. These six factors could also be categorized as either a source of parenting stress or a coping strategy/resilience mechanism that may attenuate parenting stress. Conclusion: The findings suggest that greater support services in Western countries may underlie the cultural differences observed in the SEA region. Limitations in the current review were identified. The limited number of studies yielded from the search suggests a need for expanded research on ASD and parenting stress, coping, and resilience in the SEA region especially in Cambodia, East Timor, Laos, and Myanmar. The identified stress and resilience factors may serve as sociocultural markers for clinicians, psychologists, and other professionals to consider when supporting parents of children with ASD.

  11. Fault kinematics and active tectonics of the Sabah margin: Insights from the 2015, Mw 6.0, Mt. Kinabalu earthquake

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Y.; Wei, S.; Tapponnier, P.; WANG, X.; Lindsey, E.; Sieh, K.

    2016-12-01

    A gravity-driven "Mega-Landslide" model has been evoked to explain the shortening seen offshore Sabah and Brunei in oil-company seismic data. Although this model is considered to account simultaneously for recent folding at the edge of the submarine NW Sabah trough and normal faulting on the Sabah shelf, such a gravity-driven model is not consistent with geodetic data or critical examination of extant structural restorations. The rupture that produced the 2015 Mw6.0 Mt. Kinabalu earthquake is also inconsistent with the gravity-driven model. Our teleseismic analysis shows that the centroid depth of that earthquake's mainshock was 13 to 14 km, and its favored fault-plane solution is a 60° NW-dipping normal fault. Our finite-rupture model exhibits major fault slip between 5 and 15 km depth, in keeping with our InSAR analysis, which shows no appreciable surface deformation. Both the hypocentral depth and the depth of principal slip are far too deep to be explained by gravity-driven failure, as such a model would predict a listric normal fault connecting at a much shallower depth with a very gentle detachment. Our regional mapping of tectonic landforms also suggests the recent rupture is part of a 200-km long system of narrowly distributed active extension in northern Sabah. Taken together, the nature of the 2015 rupture, the belt of active normal faults, and structural consideration indicate that active tectonic shortening plays the leading role in controlling the overall deformation of northern Sabah and that deep-seated, onland normal faulting likely results from an abrupt change in the dip-angle of the collision interface beneath the Sabah accretionary prism.

  12. Statistics of Stacked Strata on Experimental Shelf Margins

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fernandes, A. M.; Straub, K. M.

    2015-12-01

    Continental margin deposits provide the most complete record on Earth of paleo-landscapes, but these records are complex and difficult to interpret. To a seismic geomorphologist or stratigrapher, mapped surfaces often present a static diachronous record of these landscapes through time. We present data that capture the dynamics of experimental shelf-margin landscapes at high-temporal resolution and define internal hierarchies within stacked channelized and weakly channelized deposits from the shelf to the slope. Motivated by observations from acoustically-imaged continental margins offshore Brunei and in the Gulf of Mexico, we use physical experiments to quantify stratal patterns of sub-aqueous slope channels and lobes that are linked to delta-top channels. The data presented here are from an experiment that was run for 26 hours of experimental run time. Overhead photographs and topographic scans captured flow dynamics and surface aggradation/degradation every ten minutes. Currents rich in sediment built a delta that prograded to the shelf-edge. These currents were designed to plunge at the shoreline and travel as turbidity currents beyond the delta and onto the continental slope. Pseudo-subsidence was imposed by a slight base-level rise that generated accommodation space and promoted the construction of stratigraphy on the delta-top. Compensational stacking is a term that is frequently applied to deposits that tend to fill in topographic lows in channelized and weakly channelized systems. The compensation index, a metric used to quantify the strength of compensation, is used here to characterize deposits at different temporal scales on the experimental landscape. The compensation timescale is the characteristic time at which the accumulated deposits begins to match the shape of basin-wide subsidence rates (uniform for these experiments). We will use the compensation indices along strike transects across the delta, proximal slope and distal slope to evaluate the degree of compensation and the trends in the compensation time-scale, tied to a reduced degree of channelization in the down-slope direction.

  13. Construction Costs and Physico-chemical Properties of the Assimilatory Organs of Nepenthes Species in Northern Borneo

    PubMed Central

    Osunkoya, Olusegun O.; Daud, Siti Dayanawati; Di-Giusto, Bruno; Wimmer, Franz L.; Holige, Thippeswamy M.

    2007-01-01

    Background and Aims Species of the Nepenthaceae family are under-represented in studies of leaf traits and the consequent view of mineral nutrition and limitation in carnivorous plants. This study is aimed to complement existing data on leaf traits of carnivorous plants. Methods Physico-chemical properties, including construction costs (CC), of the assimilatory organs (leaf and pitcher) of a guild of lowland Nepenthes species inhabiting heath and/or peat swamp forests of Brunei, Northern Borneo were determined. Key Results Stoichiometry analyses indicate that Nepenthes species are nitrogen limited. Most traits vary appreciably across species, but greater variations exist between the assimilatory organs. Organ mass per unit area, dry matter tissue concentration (density), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), carbon, heat of combustion (Hc) and CC values were higher in the leaf relative to the pitcher, while organ thickness, potassium (K) and ash showed the opposite trend. Cross-species correlations indicate that joint rather than individual consideration of the leaf and the pitcher give better predictive relationships between variables, signalling tight coupling and functional interdependence of the two assimilatory organs. Across species, mass-based CC did not vary with N or P, but increases significantly with tissue density, carbon and Hc, and decreases with K and ash contents. Area-based CC gave the same trends (though weaker in strength) in addition to a significant positive correlation with tissue mass per unit area. Conclusions The lower CC value for the pitcher is in agreement with the concept of low marginal cost for carnivory relative to conventional autotrophy. The poor explanatory power of N, P or N : P ratio with CC suggests that factors other than production of expensive photosynthetic machinery (which calls for a high N input), including concentrations of lignin, wax/lipids or osmoregulatory ions like K+, may give a better explanation of the CC variation across Nepenthes species. PMID:17452380

  14. A new generation of trade policy: potential risks to diet-related health from the trans pacific partnership agreement

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Trade poses risks and opportunities to public health nutrition. This paper discusses the potential food-related public health risks of a radical new kind of trade agreement: the Trans Pacific Partnership agreement (TPP). Under negotiation since 2010, the TPP involves Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the USA, and Vietnam. Here, we review the international evidence on the relationships between trade agreements and diet-related health and, where available, documents and leaked text from the TPP negotiations. Similar to other recent bilateral or regional trade agreements, we find that the TPP would propose tariffs reductions, foreign investment liberalisation and intellectual property protection that extend beyond provisions in the multilateral World Trade Organization agreements. The TPP is also likely to include strong investor protections, introducing major changes to domestic regulatory regimes to enable greater industry involvement in policy making and new avenues for appeal. Transnational food corporations would be able to sue governments if they try to introduce health policies that food companies claim violate their privileges in the TPP; even the potential threat of litigation could greatly curb governments’ ability to protect public health. Hence, we find that the TPP, emblematic of a new generation of 21st century trade policy, could potentially yield greater risks to health than prior trade agreements. Because the text of the TPP is secret until the countries involved commit to the agreement, it is essential for public health concerns to be articulated during the negotiation process. Unless the potential health consequences of each part of the text are fully examined and taken into account, and binding language is incorporated in the TPP to safeguard regulatory policy space for health, the TPP could be detrimental to public health nutrition. Health advocates and health-related policymakers must be proactive in their engagement with the trade negotiations. PMID:24131595

  15. A new generation of trade policy: potential risks to diet-related health from the trans pacific partnership agreement.

    PubMed

    Friel, Sharon; Gleeson, Deborah; Thow, Anne-Marie; Labonte, Ronald; Stuckler, David; Kay, Adrian; Snowdon, Wendy

    2013-10-16

    Trade poses risks and opportunities to public health nutrition. This paper discusses the potential food-related public health risks of a radical new kind of trade agreement: the Trans Pacific Partnership agreement (TPP). Under negotiation since 2010, the TPP involves Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the USA, and Vietnam. Here, we review the international evidence on the relationships between trade agreements and diet-related health and, where available, documents and leaked text from the TPP negotiations. Similar to other recent bilateral or regional trade agreements, we find that the TPP would propose tariffs reductions, foreign investment liberalisation and intellectual property protection that extend beyond provisions in the multilateral World Trade Organization agreements. The TPP is also likely to include strong investor protections, introducing major changes to domestic regulatory regimes to enable greater industry involvement in policy making and new avenues for appeal. Transnational food corporations would be able to sue governments if they try to introduce health policies that food companies claim violate their privileges in the TPP; even the potential threat of litigation could greatly curb governments' ability to protect public health. Hence, we find that the TPP, emblematic of a new generation of 21st century trade policy, could potentially yield greater risks to health than prior trade agreements. Because the text of the TPP is secret until the countries involved commit to the agreement, it is essential for public health concerns to be articulated during the negotiation process. Unless the potential health consequences of each part of the text are fully examined and taken into account, and binding language is incorporated in the TPP to safeguard regulatory policy space for health, the TPP could be detrimental to public health nutrition. Health advocates and health-related policymakers must be proactive in their engagement with the trade negotiations.

  16. Quantitative bedrock geology of east and Southeast Asia (Brunei, Cambodia, eastern and southeastern China, East Timor, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, far-eastern Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peucker-Ehrenbrink, Bernhard; Miller, Mark W.

    2004-01-01

    We quantitatively analyze the area-age distribution of sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic bedrock based on data from the most recent digital geologic maps of East and Southeast Asia (Coordinating Committee for Coastal and Offshore Geosciences Programmes in East and Southeast Asia (CCOP) and the Geologic Survey of Japan, 1997; 1:2,000,000), published as Digital Geoscience Map G-2 by the Geological Survey of Japan. Sedimentary rocks, volcanic rocks, plutonic rocks, ultramafic rocks and metamorphic rocks cover 73.3%, 8.5%, 8.8%, 0.9%, and 8.6% of the surface area, respectively. The average ages of major lithologic units, weighted according to bedrock area, are as follows: sedimentary rocks (average stratigraphic age of 123 Myr/median age of 26 Myr), volcanic rocks (84 Myr/20 Myr), intrusive rocks (278 Myr/195 Myr), ultramafic rocks (unknown) and metamorphic rocks (1465 Myr/1118 Myr). The variability in lithologic composition and age structure of individual countries reflects the complex tectonic makeup of this region that ranges from Precambrian cratons (e.g., northeast China and North Korea) to Mesozoic-Cenozoic active margins (e.g., Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia and New Guinea). The spatial resolution of the data varies from 44 km2 per polygon (Japan) to 1659 km2 per polygon (Taiwan) and is, on average (490 km2/polygon), similar to our previous analyses of the United States of America and Canada. The temporal and spatial resolution is sufficiently high to perform age-area analyses of individual river basins larger than ˜10,000 km2 and to quantitatively evaluate the relationship between bedrock geology and river chemistry. As many rivers draining tropical, mountainous islands of East and Southeast Asia have a disproportionate effect on the dissolved and particulate load delivered to the world oceans, bedrock geology in such river drainage basins disproportionately affect ocean chemistry.

  17. Estimating radiotherapy demands in South East Asia countries in 2025 and 2035 using evidence-based optimal radiotherapy fractions.

    PubMed

    Yahya, Noorazrul; Roslan, Nurhaziqah

    2018-01-08

    As about 50% of cancer patients may require radiotherapy, the demand of radiotherapy as the main treatment to treat cancer is likely to rise due to rising cancer incidence. This study aims to quantify the radiotherapy demand in countries in Southeast Asia (SEA) in 2025 and 2035 using evidence-based optimal radiotherapy fractions. SEA country-specific cancer incidence by tumor site for 2015, 2025 and 2035 was extracted from the GLOBOCAN database. We utilized the optimal radiotherapy utilization rate model by Wong et al. (2016) to calculate the optimal number of fractions for all tumor sites in each SEA country. The available machines (LINAC & Co-60) were extracted from the IAEA's Directory of Radiotherapy Centres (DIRAC) from which the number of available fractions was calculated. The incidence of cancers in SEA countries are expected to be 1.1 mil cases (2025) and 1.4 mil (2035) compared to 0.9 mil (2015). The number of radiotherapy fractions needed in 2025 and 2035 are 11.1 and 14.1 mil, respectively, compared to 7.6 mil in 2015. In 2015, the radiotherapy fulfillment rate (RFR; required fractions/available fractions) varied between countries with Brunei, Singapore and Malaysia are highest (RFR > 1.0 - available fractions > required fractions), whereas Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Timor-Leste and Vietnam have RFR < 0.5. RFR is correlated to GDP per capita (ρ = 0.73, P = 0.01). To allow RFR ≥1 in 2025 and 2035, another 866 and 1177 machines are required, respectively. The number are lower if longer running hours are implemented. With the optimal number of radiotherapy fractions, estimation for number of machines required can be obtained which will guide acquisition of machines in SEA countries. RFR is low with access varied based on the economic status. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  18. Projecting range-wide sun bear population trends using tree cover and camera-trap bycatch data.

    PubMed

    Scotson, Lorraine; Fredriksson, Gabriella; Ngoprasert, Dusit; Wong, Wai-Ming; Fieberg, John

    2017-01-01

    Monitoring population trends of threatened species requires standardized techniques that can be applied over broad areas and repeated through time. Sun bears Helarctos malayanus are a forest dependent tropical bear found throughout most of Southeast Asia. Previous estimates of global population trends have relied on expert opinion and cannot be systematically replicated. We combined data from 1,463 camera traps within 31 field sites across sun bear range to model the relationship between photo catch rates of sun bears and tree cover. Sun bears were detected in all levels of tree cover above 20%, and the probability of presence was positively associated with the amount of tree cover within a 6-km2 buffer of the camera traps. We used the relationship between catch rates and tree cover across space to infer temporal trends in sun bear abundance in response to tree cover loss at country and global-scales. Our model-based projections based on this "space for time" substitution suggested that sun bear population declines associated with tree cover loss between 2000-2014 in mainland southeast Asia were ~9%, with declines highest in Cambodia and lowest in Myanmar. During the same period, sun bear populations in insular southeast Asia (Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei) were projected to have declined at a much higher rate (22%). Cast forward over 30-years, from the year 2000, by assuming a constant rate of change in tree cover, we projected population declines in the insular region that surpassed 50%, meeting the IUCN criteria for endangered if sun bears were listed on the population level. Although this approach requires several assumptions, most notably that trends in abundance across space can be used to infer temporal trends, population projections using remotely sensed tree cover data may serve as a useful alternative (or supplement) to expert opinion. The advantages of this approach is that it is objective, data-driven, repeatable, and it requires that all assumptions be clearly stated.

  19. A portable extensional rheometer for measuring the viscoelasticity of pitcher plant and other sticky liquids in the field.

    PubMed

    Collett, Catherine; Ardron, Alia; Bauer, Ulrike; Chapman, Gary; Chaudan, Elodie; Hallmark, Bart; Pratt, Lee; Torres-Perez, Maria Dolores; Wilson, D Ian

    2015-01-01

    Biological fluids often have interesting and unusual physical properties to adapt them for their specific purpose. Laboratory-based rheometers can be used to characterise the viscoelastic properties of such fluids. This, however, can be challenging as samples often do not retain their natural properties in storage while conventional rheometers are fragile and expensive devices ill-suited for field measurements. We present a portable, low-cost extensional rheometer designed specifically to enable in situ studies of biological fluids in the field. The design of the device (named Seymour) is based on a conventional capillary break-up extensional rheometer (the Cambridge Trimaster). It works by rapidly stretching a small fluid sample between two metal pistons. A battery-operated solenoid switch triggers the pistons to move apart rapidly and a compact, robust and inexpensive, USB 3 high speed camera is used to record the thinning and break-up of the fluid filament that forms between the pistons. The complete setup runs independently of mains electricity supply and weighs approximately 1 kg. Post-processing and analysis of the recorded images to extract rheological parameters is performed using open source software. The device was tested both in the laboratory and in the field, in Brunei Darussalam, using calibration fluids (silicone oil and carboxymethyl cellulose solutions) as well as Nepenthes pitcher plant trapping fluids as an example of a viscoelastic biological fluid. The fluid relaxation times ranged from 1 ms to over 1 s. The device gave comparable performance to the Cambridge Trimaster. Differences in fluid viscoelasticity between three species were quantified, as well as the change in viscoelasticity with storage time. This, together with marked differences between N. rafflesiana fluids taken from greenhouse and wild plants, confirms the need for a portable device. Proof of concept of the portable rheometer was demonstrated. Quantitative measurements of pitcher plant fluid viscoelasticity were made in the natural habitat for the first time. The device opens up opportunities for studying a wide range of plant fluids and secretions, under varying experimental conditions, or with changing temperatures and weather conditions.

  20. Smoke over Sumatra, Indonesia

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2002-01-01

    At least once a year for a period lasting from a week to several months, northern Sumatra is obscured by smoke and haze produced by agricultural burning and forest fires. These data products from the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer document the presence of airborne particulates on March 13, 2002, during Terra orbit 11880. On the left is an image acquired by MISR's 70-degree backward-viewing camera. On the right is a map of aerosol optical depth, a measure of the abundance of atmospheric particulates. This product utilized a test version of the MISR retrieval that incorporates an experimental set of aerosol mixtures. The haze has completely obscured northeastern Sumatra and part of the Strait of Malacca, which separates Sumatra and the Malaysian Peninsula. A northward gradient is apparent as the haze dissipates in the direction of the Malaysian landmass. Each panel covers an area of about 760 kilometers x 400 kilometers.

    Haze conditions had posed a health concern during late February (when schools in some parts of North Sumatra were closed), and worsened considerably in the first two weeks of March. By mid-March, local meteorology officials asked residents of North Sumatra's provincial capital, Medan, to minimize their outdoor activities and wear protective masks. Poor visibility at Medan airport forced a passenger plane to divert to Malaysia on March 14, and visibility reportedly ranged between 100 and 600 meters in some coastal towns southeast of Medan.

    The number and severity of this year's fires was exacerbated by dry weather conditions associated with the onset of a weak to moderate El Nino. The governments of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei have agreed to ban open burning in plantation and forest areas. The enforcement of such fire bans, however, has proven to be an extremely challenging task.

    MISR was built and is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, for NASA's Office of Earth Science, Washington, DC. The Terra satellite is managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology.

  1. Epidemiological surveys of, and research on, soil-transmitted helminths in Southeast Asia: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Dunn, Julia C; Turner, Hugo C; Tun, Aung; Anderson, Roy M

    2016-01-27

    Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections of humans fall within the World Health Organization's (WHO) grouping termed the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). It is estimated that they affect approximately 1.4 billion people worldwide. A significant proportion of these infections are in the population of Southeast Asia. This review analyses published data on STH prevalence and intensity in Southeast Asia over the time period of 1900 to the present to describe age related patterns in these epidemiological measures. This is with a focus on the four major parasite species affecting humans; namely Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and the hookworms; Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale. Data were also collected on the diagnostic methods used in the published surveys and how the studies were designed to facilitate comparative analyses of recorded patterns and changes therein over time. PubMed, Google Scholar, EMBASE, ISI Web of Science, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and the Global Atlas of Helminth Infections search engines were used to identify studies on STH in Southeast Asia with the search based on the major key words, and variants on, "soil-transmitted helminth" "Ascaris" "Trichuris" "hookworm" and the country name. A total of 280 studies satisfied the inclusion criteria from 11 Southeast Asian countries; Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam. It was concluded that the epidemiological patterns of STH infection by age and species mix in Southeast Asia are similar to those reported in other parts of the world. In the published studies there were a large number of different diagnostic methods used with differing sensitivities and specificities, which makes comparison of the results both within and between countries difficult. There is a clear requirement to standardise the methods of both STH diagnosis in faecal material and how the intensity of infection is recorded and reported in future STH research and in monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of the impact of continuing and expanding mass drug administration (MDA) programmes.

  2. Antifungal susceptibility of invasive Candida bloodstream isolates from the Asia-Pacific region.

    PubMed

    Tan, Thean Yen; Hsu, Li Yang; Alejandria, Marissa M; Chaiwarith, Romanee; Chinniah, Terrence; Chayakulkeeree, Methee; Choudhury, Saugata; Chen, Yen Hsu; Shin, Jong Hee; Kiratisin, Pattarachai; Mendoza, Myrna; Prabhu, Kavitha; Supparatpinyo, Khuanchai; Tan, Ai Ling; Phan, Xuan Thi; Tran, Thi Thanh Nga; Nguyen, Gia Binh; Doan, Mai Phuong; Huynh, Van An; Nguyen, Su Minh Tuyet; Tran, Thanh Binh; Van Pham, Hung

    2016-07-01

    Bloodstream infections caused by Candida species are of increasing importance and associated with significant mortality. We performed a multi-centre prospective observational study to identify the species and antifungal susceptibilities of invasive bloodstream isolates of Candida species in the Asia-Pacific region. The study was carried out over a two year period, involving 13 centers from Brunei, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Identification of Candida species was performed at each study center, and reconfirmed at a central laboratory. Susceptibility testing was performed using a commercial broth dilution panel (Sensititre YeastOne YST-010, Thermofisher, United Kingdom) with susceptibility categorisation (S = susceptible, S-DD = susceptible dose-dependent) applied using breakpoints from the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute. Eight hundred and sixty-one Candida isolates were included in the study. The most common species were C. albicans (35.9%), C. tropicalis (30.7%), C. parapsilosis (15.7%), and C. glabrata (13.6%). Non-albicans species exceeded C. albicans species in centers from all countries except Taiwan. Fluconazole susceptibility was almost universal for C. albicans (S = 99.7%) but lower for C. tropicalis (S = 75.8%, S-DD = 6.1%), C. glabrata (S-DD = 94.9%), and C. parapsilosis (S = 94.8%). Echinocandins demonstrated high rates of in vitro susceptibility (S>99%) against C. albicans, C. tropicalis, and C. parapsilosis This study demonstrates that non-albicans species are the most common isolates from bloodstream infections in most countries in the Asia-Pacific region, with C. tropicalis as the predominant species. Because of the prevalence of reduced susceptibility to fluconazole in non-albicans species, the study indicates that echinocandins should be the antifungal of choice in clinically unstable or high-risk patients with documented candidemia. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  3. Quantifying deformation in North Borneo with GPS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mustafar, Mohamad Asrul; Simons, Wim J. F.; Tongkul, Felix; Satirapod, Chalermchon; Omar, Kamaludin Mohd; Visser, Pieter N. A. M.

    2017-10-01

    The existence of intra-plate deformation of the Sundaland platelet along its eastern edge in North Borneo, South-East Asia, makes it an interesting area that still is relatively understudied. In addition, the motion of the coastal area of North-West Borneo is directed toward a frontal fold-and-thrust belt and has been fueling a long debate on the possible geophysical sources behind it. At present this fold-and-thrust belt is not generating significant seismic activity and may also not be entirely active due to a decreasing shelfal extension from south to north. Two sets of Global Positioning System (GPS) data have been used in this study; the first covering a time period from 1999 until 2004 (ending just before the Giant Sumatra-Andaman earthquake) to determine the continuous Sundaland tectonic plate motion, and the second from 2009 until 2011 to investigate the current deformations of North Borneo. Both absolute and relative positioning methods were carried out to investigate horizontal and vertical displacements. Analysis of the GPS results indicates a clear trend of extension along coastal regions of Sarawak and Brunei in North Borneo. On the contrary strain rate tensors in Sabah reveal that only insignificant and inconsistent extension and compression occurs throughout North-West Borneo. Moreover, station velocities and rotation rate tensors on the northern part of North Borneo suggest a clockwise (micro-block) rotation. The first analysis of vertical displacements recorded by GPS in North-West Borneo points to low subsidence rates along the western coastal regions of Sabah and inconsistent trends between the Crocker and Trusmadi mountain ranges. These results have not been able to either confirm or reject the hypothesis that gravity sliding is the main driving force behind the local motions in North Borneo. The ongoing Sundaland-Philippine Sea plate convergence may also still play an active role in the present-day deformation (crustal shortening) in North Borneo and the possible clockwise rotation of the northern part of North Borneo as a micro-block. However, more observations need to be collected to determine if the northern part of North Borneo indeed is (slowly) moving independently.

  4. Relationship between stakeholders' information value perception and information security behaviour

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tajuddin, Sharul; Olphert, Wendy; Doherty, Neil

    2015-02-01

    The study, reported in this paper, aims to explore the relationship between the stakeholders' perceptions about the value of information and their resultant information security behaviours. Moreover, this study seeks to explore the role of national and organisational culture in facilitating information value assignment. Information Security is a concept that formed from the recognition that information is valuable and that there is a need to protect it. The ISO 27002 defines information as an asset, which, like other important business assets, is essential to an organisation's business and consequently needs to be appropriately protected. By definition, an asset has a value to the organisation hence it requires protection. Information protection is typically accomplished through the implementation of countermeasures against the threats and vulnerabilities of information security, for example, implementation of technological processes and mechanisms such as firewall and authorization and authentication systems, set-up of deterrence procedures such as password control and enforcement of organisational policy on information handling procedures. However, evidence routinely shows that despite such measures, information security breaches and incidents are on the rise. These breaches lead to loss of information, personal records, or other data, with consequent implications for the value of the information asset. A number of studies have suggested that such problems are not related primarily to technology problems or procedural deficiencies, but rather to stakeholders' poor compliance with the security measures that are in place. Research indicates that compliance behaviour is affected by many variables including perceived costs and benefits, national and organisational culture and norms. However, there has been little research to understand the concept of information value from the perspective of those who interact with the data, and the consequences for information security behaviours. This study seeks to address this gap in the research. Data will be presented from a pilot study consisting of interviews with 6 participants from public organisations in Brunei Darussalam which illustrate the nature of the value assignment process, together with an initial model of the relationship between perceived information value and information security behaviours.

  5. The Incidence and Mortality of Colorectal Cancer and Its Relationship With the Human Development Index in Asia.

    PubMed

    Ghoncheh, Mahshid; Mohammadian, Maryam; Mohammadian-Hafshejani, Abdollah; Salehiniya, Hamid

    Colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer in women and the third most common cancer among men, and its incidence is increasing in Asia. Awareness about the status of this cancer incidence and mortality is necessary for a better plan. The present study was done with the aim to investigate the incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer and its relationship with the Human Development Index (HDI) in Asia in 2012. This study was an ecological study, which was conducted based on the GLOBOCAN project of the World Health Organization for Asian countries. We assessed the correlation between standardized incidence rates (SIR) and standardized mortality rates (SMR) of colorectal cancer with HDI and its components using SPSS software, version 18 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). A total of 592,563 incidences of and 325,752 deaths from colorectal cancer were recorded in Asian countries in 2012. The 5 countries with the highest SIR were Republic of Korea (45 per 100,000), Israel (35.9 per 100,000), Singapore (33.7 per 100,000), Japan (32.2 per 100,000), and Jordan (25.6 per 100,000). The 5 countries with the highest SMR for colorectal cancer were Jordan (15.5 per 100,000), Kazakhstan (12.8 per 100,000), Democratic Republic of Korea (12 per 100,000), Brunei (12 per 100,000), and Japan (11.9 per 100,000). Correlation between HDI and SIR was 0.709 overall (P ≤ .001)- 0.667 in men (P ≤ .001) and 0.759 in women (P ≤ .001). Also, correlation between HDI and SMR overall was 0.517 (P ≤ .001)- 0.447 in men (P = .002) and 0.593 in women (P ≤ .001). Cancer incidence and mortality are higher in countries with more development. A positive and statistically significant correlation was found between standardized incidence and mortality rate of colorectal cancer and the Human Development Index and its components. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  6. Pesticide management approach towards protecting the safety and health of farmers in Southeast Asia.

    PubMed

    Mohammad, Norsyazwani; Abidin, Emilia Zainal; How, Vivien; Praveena, Sarva Mangala; Hashim, Zailina

    2018-06-27

    It is estimated that pesticide production and use have increased continuously in the countries of Southeast Asia in recent years. Within the context of protecting the safety and health of workers in the agricultural sector, there is an existing gap in the implementation of the pesticide management framework because safety and health effects arising from occupational exposures continue to be reported. This study aims to provide narrative similarities, differences and weaknesses of the existing pesticide management system in Southeast Asian countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) within the context of occupational safety and health. This is preliminary traditional review study. Pesticide regulation and management at the country level were identified using web-based search engines such as Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed and Google. Book, reports, legislation document and other documents retrieved were also gathered from international organizations and specific websites of governmental agency in Southeast Asian countries. The scope of this review is only limited to literature written in English. In total, 44 review articles, reports and documents were gathered for this study. The approach of pesticide management in protecting safety and health in the agricultural setting were benchmarked according to the elements introduced by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, namely, (1) the protection of workers and (2) the practice of safety. All countries have assigned a local authority and government organization to manage and control pesticide use in the agricultural sector. The countries with the highest usage of pesticide are Thailand, Philippines and Malaysia. Most Southeast Asian countries have emphasized safety practice in the management of pesticide usage, but there were less emphasis on the element of protection of workers within the framework in Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The governing bodies in the countries of Southeast Asia have placed significant effort to develop framework related to pesticide management at the country level. The implementation of pesticide management based on the existing framework is evident in most of the countries but needs to be improved. It is suggested that emphasis be given to the implementation of diagnosis, health surveillance and reporting system as well as following or adopting standard guidelines for the protection of workers in terms of safety and health in the agricultural sector.

  7. Looking twice at the gender equity index for public health impact

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background It has been shown that gender equity has a positive impact on the everyday activities of people (decision making, income allocation, application and observance of norms/rules) which affect their health. Gender equity is also a crucial determinant of health inequalities at national level; thus, monitoring is important for surveillance of women’s and men’s health as well as for future health policy initiatives. The Gender Equity Index (GEI) was designed to show inequity solely towards women. Given that the value under scrutiny is equity, in this paper a modified version of the GEI is proposed, the MGEI, which highlights the inequities affecting both sexes. Methods Rather than calculating gender gaps by means of a quotient of proportions, gaps in the MGEI are expressed in absolute terms (differences in proportions). The Spearman’s rank coefficient, calculated from country rankings obtained according to both indexes, was used to evaluate the level of concordance between both classifications. To compare the degree of sensitivity and obtain the inequity by the two methods, the variation coefficient of the GEI and MGEI values was calculated. Results Country rankings according to GEI and MGEI values showed a high correlation (rank coef. = 0.95). The MGEI presented greater dispersion (43.8%) than the GEI (19.27%). Inequity towards men was identified in the education gap (rank coef. = 0.36) when using the MGEI. According to this method, many countries shared the same absolute value for education but with opposite signs, for example Azerbaijan (−0.022) and Belgium (0.022), reflecting inequity towards women and men, respectively. This also occurred in the empowerment gap with the technical and professional job component (Brunei:-0.120 vs. Australia, Canada Iceland and the U.S.A.: 0.120). Conclusion The MGEI identifies and highlights the different areas of inequities between gender groups. It thus overcomes the shortcomings of the GEI related to the aim for which this latter was created, namely measuring gender equity, and is therefore of great use to policy makers who wish to understand and monitor the results of specific equity policies and to determine the length of time for which these policies should be maintained in order to correct long-standing structural discrimination against women. PMID:23855520

  8. The ASEAN economic community and medical qualification

    PubMed Central

    Kittrakulrat, Jathurong; Jongjatuporn, Witthawin; Jurjai, Ravipol; Jarupanich, Nicha; Pongpirul, Krit

    2014-01-01

    Background In the regional movement toward ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), medical professions including physicians can be qualified to practice medicine in another country. Ensuring comparable, excellent medical qualification systems is crucial but the availability and analysis of relevant information has been lacking. Objective This study had the following aims: 1) to comparatively analyze information on Medical Licensing Examinations (MLE) across ASEAN countries and 2) to assess stakeholders’ view on potential consequences of AEC on the medical profession from a Thai perspective. Design To search for relevant information on MLE, we started with each country's national body as the primary data source. In case of lack of available data, secondary data sources including official websites of medical universities, colleagues in international and national medical student organizations, and some other appropriate Internet sources were used. Feasibility and concerns about validity and reliability of these sources were discussed among investigators. Experts in the region invited through HealthSpace.Asia conducted the final data validation. For the second objective, in-depth interviews were conducted with 13 Thai stakeholders, purposely selected based on a maximum variation sampling technique to represent the points of view of the medical licensing authority, the medical profession, ethicists and economists. Results MLE systems exist in all ASEAN countries except Brunei, but vary greatly. Although the majority has a national MLE system, Singapore, Indonesia, and Vietnam accept results of MLE conducted at universities. Thailand adopted the USA's 3-step approach that aims to check pre-clinical knowledge, clinical knowledge, and clinical skills. Most countries, however, require only one step. A multiple choice question (MCQ) is the most commonly used method of assessment; a modified essay question (MEQ) is the next most common. Although both tests assess candidate's knowledge, the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is used to verify clinical skills of the examinee. The validity of the medical license and that it reflects a consistent and high standard of medical knowledge is a sensitive issue because of potentially unfair movement of physicians and an embedded sense of domination, at least from a Thai perspective. Conclusions MLE systems differ across ASEAN countries in some important aspects that might be of concern from a fairness viewpoint and therefore should be addressed in the movement toward AEC. PMID:25215908

  9. Benthic infaunal community structuring in an acidified tropical estuarine system.

    PubMed

    Hossain, M Belal; Marshall, David J

    2014-01-01

    Recent studies suggest that increasing ocean acidification (OA) should have strong direct and indirect influences on marine invertebrates. While most theory and application for OA is based on relatively physically-stable oceanic ecological systems, less is known about the effects of acidification on nearshore and estuarine systems. Here, we investigated the structuring of a benthic infaunal community in a tropical estuarine system, along a steep salinity and pH gradient, arising largely from acid-sulphate groundwater inflows (Sungai Brunei Estuary, Borneo, July 2011- June 2012). Preliminary data indicate that sediment pore-water salinity (range: 8.07 - 29.6 psu) declined towards the mainland in correspondence with the above-sediment estuarine water salinity (range: 3.58 - 31.2 psu), whereas the pore-water pH (range: 6.47- 7.72) was generally lower and less variable than the estuarine water pH (range: 5.78- 8.3), along the estuary. Of the thirty six species (taxa) recorded, the polychaetes Neanthes sp., Onuphis conchylega, Nereididae sp. and the amphipod Corophiidae sp., were numerically dominant. Calcified microcrustaceans (e.g., Cyclopoida sp. and Corophiidae sp.) were abundant at all stations and there was no clear distinction in distribution pattern along the estuarine between calcified and non-calcified groups. Species richness increased seawards, though abundance (density) showed no distinct directional trend. Diversity indices were generally positively correlated (Spearman's rank correlation) with salinity and pH (p <0.05) and negatively with clay and organic matter, except for evenness values (p >0.05). Three faunistic assemblages were distinguished: (1) nereid-cyclopoid-sabellid, (2) corophiid-capitellid and (3) onuphid- nereid-capitellid. These respectively associated with lower salinity/pH and a muddy bottom, low salinity/pH and a sandy bottom, and high salinity/pH and a sandy bottom. However, CCA suggested that species distribution and community structuring is more strongly influenced by sediment particle characteristics than by the chemical properties of the water (pH and salinity). Infaunal estuarine communities, which are typically adapted to survive relatively acidic conditions, may be less exposed, less sensitive, and less vulnerable than epibenthic or pelagic communities to further acidification of above-sediment waters. These data question the extent to which all marine infaunal communities, including oceanic communities, are likely to be affected by future global CO2-driven acidification.

  10. Historic Land Use and Carbon Estimates for South and Southeast Asia: 1880-1980 (NDP-046)

    DOE Data Explorer

    Richards, John F. [Duke Univ., Durham, NC (United States); Flint, Elizabeth P. [Duke Univ., Durham, NC (United States); Daniels, Richard C. [Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC)

    1994-01-01

    This data base contains estimates of land use change and the carbon content of vegetation for South and Southeast Asia for the years 1880, 1920, 1950, 1970, and 1980. These data were originally collected for climate modelers so they could reduce the uncertainty associated with the magnitude and time course of historical land use change and of carbon release. For this data base, South and Southeast Asia is defined as encompassing nearly 8 × 106 km2 of the earth's land surface and includes the countries of India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Laos, Kampuchea (Cambodia), Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines.The most important change in land use over this 100-year period was the conversion of 107 × 106 ha of forest/woodland to categories with lower biomass. Land thus transformed accounted for 13.5% of the total area of the study region. The estimated total carbon content of live vegetation in South and Southeast Asia has dropped progressively, from 59 × 109 Mg in 1880 to 27 × 109 Mg in 1980. Throughout the study period, the carbon stock in forests was greater than the carbon content in all other categories combined, although its share of the total declined progressively from 81% in 1880 to 73% in 1980. The data base was developed in Lotus 1-2-3TM by using a sequential bookkeeping model. The source data were obtained at the local and regional level for each country from official agricultural and economic statistics (e.g., the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization); historical geographic and demographic texts, reports, and articles; and any other available source. Because of boundary changes through time and disparities between the validity, availability, and scale of the data for each country, the data were aggregated into 94 ecological zones. The resulting data base contains land use and carbon information for 94 ecological zones and national totals for 13 countries.The directory to which the above link leads provides 90 Lotus 1-2-3TM files, three ARC/INFOTM export files, and five ASCII data files. We advise users to use the file transfer protocol (FTP) to download the binary spreadsheet *.wk1 files; please consult the ndp046.txt documentation file or Accessing CDIAC via FTP for instructions. In addition to these, a descriptive file that explains the contents and format of each data file and four FORTRAN and SAS TM retrieval programs for use with the ASCII data files are included.

  11. Translation and validation of the Malay version of Shiffman-Jarvik withdrawal scale and cessation self-efficacy questionnaire: a review of psychometric properties.

    PubMed

    Teo, Eng Wah; Lee, Yuin Yi; Khoo, Selina; Morris, Tony

    2015-04-09

    Smoking tobacco is a major concern in Malaysia, with 23.1% of Malaysian adults smoking tobacco in 2012. Withdrawal symptoms and self-efficacy to quit smoking have been shown to have significant effects on the outcomes of smoking cessation. The Shiffman-Jarvik Withdrawal Scale (Psychopharmacology, 50: 35-39, 1976) and the Cessation Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (Cognitive Ther Res 5: 175-187, 1981) are two questionnaires that have been widely used in various smoking cessation research. The short SJWS consists of 15 items with five subscales: physical symptoms, psychological symptoms, stimulation/sedation, appetite, and cravings. The CSEQ is a 12-item questionnaire that assesses participant's self-efficacy to avoid smoking in various situations described in each item. The aim of this study was to translate and validate the Malay language version of the SJWS and the CSEQ. The SJWS and CSEQ were translated into the Malay language based on the back translation method. A total of 146 participants (25.08 ± 5.19 years) answered the translated questionnaires. Psychometrics properties such as reliability (internal consistency and test-retest) and validity (content validity, construct validity and face validity) were examined. Both questionnaires showed acceptable internal consistency; SJWS-M (α = 0.66) and CSEQ-M (α = 0.90) and good test-retest reliability; SJWS-M (r = 0.76) and the CSEQ-M (r = 0.80). SJWS-M (χ(2) = 15.964, GFI = 0.979, CFI = 1.000, RMSEA = 0.000, ChiSq/df = 0.939, AGFI = 0.933, TLI = 1.004, and NPI = 0.978) and CSEQ-M (of χ(2) = 35.16, GFI = 0.960, CFI = 0.999, RMSEA = 0.015, ChiSq/df = 1.034, AGFI = 0.908, TLI = 0.999, and NPI = 0.979) also showed good construct validity. Both questionnaires showed sufficient item to item convergent validity and item discriminant validity. Content validity was established (reassess) by experts in the field of psychology, culture and language whereas face validity was confirmed by smokers. The translated Malay version of the CSEQ-M and the SJWS-M showed great reliability and validity evidences therefore is an adequate and useful instrument to evaluate Malaysian smokers. Future studies could investigate differences in self-esteem between long-term and short-term smokers and evaluate the usability of these questionnaires in local smoking research and other Malay speaking countries (Brunei and Indonesia).

  12. Psychometric assessment of the short-form Child Perceptions Questionnaire: an international collaborative study.

    PubMed

    Thomson, W M; Foster Page, L A; Robinson, P G; Do, L G; Traebert, J; Mohamed, A R; Turton, B J; McGrath, C; Bekes, K; Hirsch, C; Del Carmen Aguilar-Diaz, F; Marshman, Z; Benson, P E; Baker, S R

    2016-12-01

    To examine the factor structure and other psychometric characteristics of the most commonly used child oral-health-related quality-of-life (OHRQoL) measure (the 16-item short-form CPQ 11-14 ) in a large number of children (N = 5804) from different settings and who had a range of caries experience and associated impacts. Secondary data analyses used subnational epidemiological samples of 11- to 14-year-olds in Australia (N = 372), New Zealand (three samples: 352, 202, 429), Brunei (423), Cambodia (244), Hong Kong (542), Malaysia (439), Thailand (220, 325), England (88, 374), Germany (1055), Mexico (335) and Brazil (404). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine the factor structure of the CPQ 11-14 across the combined sample and within four regions (Australia/NZ, Asia, UK/Europe and Latin America). Item impact and internal reliability analysis were also conducted. Caries experience varied, with mean DMFT scores ranging from 0.5 in the Malaysian sample to 3.4 in one New Zealand sample. Even more variation was noted in the proportion reporting only fair or poor oral health; this was highest in the Cambodian and Mexican samples and lowest in the German sample and one New Zealand sample. One in 10 reported that their oral health had a marked impact on their life overall. The CFA across all samples revealed two factors with eigenvalues greater than 1. The first involved all items in the oral symptoms and functional limitations subscales; the second involved all emotional well-being and social well-being items. The first was designated the 'symptoms/function' subscale, and the second was designated the 'well-being' subscale. Cronbach's alpha scores were 0.72 and 0.84, respectively. The symptoms/function subscale contained more of the items with greater impact, with the item 'Food stuck in between your teeth' having greatest impact; in the well-being subscale, the 'Felt shy or embarrassed' item had the greatest impact. Repeating the analyses by world region gave similar findings. The CPQ 11-14 performed well cross-sectionally in the largest analysis of the scale in the literature to date, with robust and mostly consistent psychometric characteristics, albeit with two underlying factors (rather than the originally hypothesized four-factor structure). It appears to be a sound, robust measure which should be useful for research, practice and policy. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. ASEAN.

    PubMed

    1986-04-01

    Focus in this discussion of the 6 Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand) is on the following: georgraphy; the people; history; institutions (foreign ministers' meetings, economic ministers' meetings, the ASEAN Secretariat, and the Task Force on the Future of ASEAN cooperation): the economy; defense; external relations; and relations between the US and the ASEAN nations. In mid-1985 the population totaled 289.5 million with an average (unweighted) annual growth rate of 2.2%. Located on the Southeast Asian peninsula and the islands to the south and east in the South China Sea, the 6 ASEAN states guard some of the most important sealanes in the world. The ASEAN states lie astride the Equator and extend from roughly 1600 km north to 804 km south. 1 of the most striking characteristics of ASEAN is its wide diversity in race, language, culture, and religion; many ethnic groups coexist. Malayo-Polyneian make up the majority in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia (and thus in ASEAN), although Malaysia and Indonesia have significant numbers of other groups. Thailand is 75% Thai. Ethnic Chinese make up 77% of the population of Singapore, and sizable Chinese minorities are found in each of the other ASEAN nations. ASEAN founded officially on August 8, 1967, was created to strengthen regional cohesion and self-reliance through economic, social, and cultural cooperation. The organization developed slowly during its 1st decade, due in part to differing economic interests, varied historical experience, and the initially fragile political ties among the 5 original states. The Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia, starting in December 1978, was a further stimulus to collaboration. The ASEAN nations successfully managed passage of UN resolutions condemning Vietnam and were the chief sponsors in the July 1981 International Conference on Kampuchea. Although ASEAN was established with primarily economic and social goals, diversity in economic interests and in levels of development have limited the growth of cooperative economic activities. Yet, ASEAN has undertaken important steps toward reducing internal trade barriers and establishing joint industrial projects. Closer coordination on economic issues by ASEAN governments, particularly in international forums, has been another feature of the Association. Since its inception 18 years ago, ASEAN has gradually developed a number of formalized regular consultations and committees but with very limited permanent structure. Decisions in ASEAN are made by consensus and often realized through informal and ad hoc consultation, but there are several formal bodies that meet to consult and make decisions on common issues.

  14. Chronic Hemodialysis Therapy in the West.

    PubMed

    Rocco, Michael V

    2015-12-01

    Chronic hemodialysis (HD) in the 1960s encompassed a wide variety of prescriptions from twice weekly to five times per week HD. Over time, HD prescriptions in the West became standardized at three times per week, 2.5-4 h per session, with occasional additional treatments for volume overload. When clinical trials of dialysis dose failed to show significant benefit of extending time compared with the traditional dialysis prescription, interest in more frequent HD was renewed. Consequently, there has been growth in home HD therapies as well as alternative dialysis prescriptions. Data from recent randomized clinical trials have demonstrated the benefits and risks of these more frequent therapies, with surprising differences in outcomes between short daily HD and long nocturnal HD. More frequent therapies improve control of both hypertension and hyperphosphatemia, but at the expense of increased vascular access complications and, at least for nocturnal HD, a faster loss of residual renal function. In the West, the standard HD prescription is three treatments per week with a minimal time of 3.0 h and dialysis is performed in an outpatient dialysis center. A minority of patients will have a fourth treatment per week for volume issues. Alternative HD prescriptions, although rare, are more available compared to the recent past. (1) While developed Western and Asian countries provide end-stage renal disease patients full access to HD, healthcare systems from South and South-East Asia can offer access to HD only to a limited fraction of the patients in need. Even though the annual costs of HD are much lower in less developed countries (for instance 30 times lower in India compared to the US), patients often cannot afford costs not covered by health insurance. (2) The recommended dialysis pattern in the West is at least three sessions weekly with high-flux dialyzers. Studies from Shanghai and Taiwan might however indicate a benefit of twice versus thrice weekly sessions. In less developed Asian countries, a twice weekly pattern is common, sometimes with dialyzer reuse and inadequate water treatment. A majority of patients decrease session frequency or discontinue the program due to financial constraint. (3) As convective therapies are gaining popularity in Europe, penetration in Asia is low and limited by costs. (4) In Asian countries, in particular in the South and South-East, hepatitis and tuberculosis infections in HD patients are higher than in the West and substantially increase mortality. (5) Progress has recently been made in countries like Thailand and Brunei to provide universal HD access to all patients in need. Nevertheless, well-trained personnel, reliable registries and better patient follow-up would improve outcomes in low-income Asian countries.

  15. A Real-Time Offshore Weather Risk Advisory System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jolivet, Samuel; Zemskyy, Pavlo; Mynampati, Kalyan; Babovic, Vladan

    2015-04-01

    Offshore oil and gas operations in South East Asia periodically face extended downtime due to unpredictable weather conditions, including squalls that are accompanied by strong winds, thunder, and heavy rains. This downtime results in financial losses. Hence, a real time weather risk advisory system is developed to provide the offshore Oil and Gas (O&G) industry specific weather warnings in support of safety and environment security. This system provides safe operating windows based on sensitivity of offshore operations to sea state. Information products for safety and security include area of squall occurrence for the next 24 hours, time before squall strike, and heavy sea state warning for the next 3, 6, 12 & 24 hours. These are predicted using radar now-cast, high resolution Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) and Data Assimilation (DA). Radar based now-casting leverages the radar data to produce short term (up to 3 hours) predictions of severe weather events including squalls/thunderstorms. A sea state approximation is provided through developing a translational model based on these predictions to risk rank the sensitivity of operations. A high resolution Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF, an open source NWP model) is developed for offshore Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines. This high resolution model is optimized and validated against the adaptation of temperate to tropical met-ocean parameterization. This locally specific parameters are calibrated against federated data to achieve a 24 hour forecast of high resolution Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE). CAPE is being used as a proxy for the risk of squall occurrence. Spectral decomposition is used to blend the outputs of the now-cast and the forecast in order to assimilate near real time weather observations as an implementation of the integration of data sources. This system uses the now-cast for the first 3 hours and then the forecast prediction horizons of 3, 6, 12 & 24 hours. The output is a 24 hour window of high resolution/accuracy forecasts leveraging available data-model integration and CAPE prediction. The systems includes dissemination of WRF outputs over the World Wide Web. Components of the system (including WRF computational engine and results dissemination modules) are deployed in to computational cloud. This approach tends to increase system robustness and sustainability. The creation of such a system to share information between the public and private sectors and across territorial boundaries is an important step towards the next generation of governance for climate risk and extreme weather offshore. The system benefits offshore operators by reducing downtime related to accidents and incidents; eliminate unnecessary hiring costs related to waiting on weather; and improve the efficiency and planning of transport and logistics by providing a rolling weather risk advisory.

  16. Current status of nutrition labelling and claims in the South-East Asian region: are we in harmony?

    PubMed

    Tee, E-Siong; Tamin, Suryani; Ilyas, Rosmulyati; Ramos, Adelisa; Tan, Wei-Ling; Lai, Darwin Kah-Soon; Kongchuntuk, Hataya

    2002-01-01

    This review includes the situation of nutrition labelling and claims in six countries in South-East Asia: Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. With the exception of Malaysia, there is no mandatory nutrition labelling requirements for foods in these countries except for special categories of foods and when nutritional claims are made for fortified or enriched foods. Nevertheless, several food manufacturers, especially multinationals, do voluntarily label the nutritional content of a number of food products. There is, therefore, increasing interest among authorities in countries in the region to start formulating regulations for nutrition labelling for a wider variety of foods. Malaysia has proposed new regulations to make it mandatory to label a number of foodstuffs with the four core nutrients, protein, carbohydrate, fat and energy. Other countries have preferred to start with voluntary labelling by the manufacturers, but have spelt out the requirements for this voluntary labelling. The format and requirements for nutrition labelling differ widely for countries in the region. Some countries, such as Malaysia, closely follow the Codex guidelines on nutrition labelling in terms of format, components to be included and mode of expression. Other countries, such as the Philippines and Thailand, have drafted nutrition labelling regulations very similar to those of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) of the United States. Nutrition and health claims are also not specifically permitted under food regulations that were enacted before 1998. However, various food products on the market have been carrying a variety of nutrition and health claims. There is concern that without proper regulations, the food industry may not be certain as to what claims can be made. Excessive and misleading claims made by irresponsible manufacturers would only serve to confuse and mislead the consumer. In recent years, there has been efforts in countries in the region to enact regulations on nutrition claims. Recently enacted regulations or amendments to existing regulations of almost all the countries reviewed have included provisions for nutrition claims. Malaysia is in the process of gazetting regulations to clearly stipulate the permitted nutrition claims and the conditions required to make these claims along the guidelines of Codex Alimentarius Commission. Only two countries in the region permit health claims to be made - Indonesia and Philippines. Other countries in the region are following developments in Codex and examining the need for allowing these claims. There are more differences than similarities in the regulations on nutrition labelling and claims among countries in the South-East Asian region as no previous efforts have been made to address these. Hopefully, through this first regional meeting, countries can initiate closer interaction, with a view to working towards greater harmonization of nutrition labelling and health claims in the region.

  17. A consensus plan for action to improve access to cancer care in the association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region.

    PubMed

    Woodward, Mark

    2014-01-01

    In many countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), cancer is an increasing problem due to ageing and a transition to Western lifestyles. Governments have been slow to react to the health consequences of these socioeconomic changes, leading to the risk of a cancer epidemic overwhelming the region. A major limitation to motivating change is the paucity of high-quality data on cancer, and its socioeconomic repercussions, in ASEAN. Two initiatives have been launched to address these issues. First, a study of over 9000 new cancer patients in ASEAN - the ACTION study - which records information on financial difficulties, as well as clinical outcomes, subsequent to the diagnosis. Second, a series of roundtable meetings of key stakeholders and experts, with the broad aim of producing advice for governments in ASEAN to take appropriate account of issues relating to cancer, as well as to generate knowledge and interest through engagement with the media. An important product of these roundtables has been the Jakarta Call to Action on Cancer Control. The growth and ageing of populations is a global challenge for cancer services. In the less developed parts of Asia, and elsewhere, these problems are compounded by the epidemiological transition to Western lifestyles and lack of awareness of cancer at the government level. For many years, health services in less developed countries have concentrated on infectious diseases and mother-and-child health; despite a recent wake-up call (United Nations, 2010), these health services have so far failed to allow for the huge increase in cancer cases to come. It has been estimated that, in Asia, the number of new cancer cases per year will grow from 6.1 million in 2008 to 10.6 million in 2030 (Sankaranarayanan et al., 2014). In the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), corresponding figures are 770 thousand in 2012 (Figure 1), rising to 1.3 million in 2030 (Ferlay et al., 2012). ASEAN consists of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam. It, thus, includes low- and middle-income countries where the double whammy of infectious and chronic diseases will pose an enormous challenge in allocating limited resources to competing health issues. Cancer statistics, even at the sub-national level, only tell part of the story. Many individuals who contract cancer in poor countries have no medical insurance and no, or limited, expectation of public assistance. Whilst any person who has a family member with cancer can expect to bear some consequential burden of care or expense, in a poor family in a poor environment the burden will surely be greater. This additional burden from cancer is rarely considered, and even more rarely quantified, even in developed nations.

  18. Air quality in Malaysia: impacts, management issues and future challenges.

    PubMed

    Awang, M B; Jaafar, A B; Abdullah, A M; Ismail, M B; Hassan, M N; Abdullah, R; Johan, S; Noor, H

    2000-06-01

    Observations have been made on the long-term trends of major air pollutants in Malaysia including nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, the ozone and total suspended particulate matter (particularly PM10), and sulfur dioxide, emitted from industrial and urban areas from early 1970s until late 1998. The data show that the status of atmospheric environment in Malaysia, in particular in highly industrialized areas such as Klang Valley, was determined both by local and transboundary emissions and could be described as haze and non-haze periods. During the non-haze periods, vehicular emissions accounted for more than 70% of the total emissions in the urban areas and have demonstrated two peaks in the diurnal variations of the aforementioned air pollutants, except ozone. The morning 'rush-hour' peak was mainly due to vehicle emissions, while the late evening peak was mainly attributed to meteorological conditions, particularly atmospheric stability and wind speed. Total suspended particulate matter was the main pollutant with its concentrations at few sites often exceeding the Recommended Malaysia Air Quality Guidelines. The levels of other pollutants were generally within the guidelines. Since 1980, six major haze episodes were officially reported in Malaysia: April 1983, August 1990, June 1991, October 1991, August to October 1994, and July to October 1997. The 1997 haze episode was the worst ever experienced by the country. Short-term observations using continuous monitoring systems during the haze episodes during these periods clearly showed that suspended particulate matter (PM10) was the main cause of haze and was transboundary in nature. Large forest fires in parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan during the haze period, clearly evident in satellite images, were identified as the probable key sources of the widespread heavy haze that extended across Southeast Asia from Indonesia to Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. The results of several studies have also provided strong evidence that biomass burning is the dominating source of particulate matter. The severity and extent of 1997's haze pollution was unprecedented, affecting some 300 million people across the region. The amount of economic costs suffered by Southeast Asian countries during this environmental disaster was enormous and is yet to be fully determined. Among the important sectors severely affected were air and land transport, shipping, construction, tourism and agro-based industries. The economic cost of the haze-related damage to Malaysia presented in this study include short-term health costs, production losses, tourism-related losses and the cost of avertive action. Although the cost reported here is likely to be underestimated, they are nevertheless significant (roughly RM1 billion). The general air quality of Malaysia since 1970 has deteriorated. Studies have shown that should no effective countermeasures be introduced, the emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide in the year 2005 would increase by 1.4, 2.12, 1.47 and 2.27 times, respectively, from the 1992 levels.

  19. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Brown, S

    A database was generated of estimates of geographically referenced carbon densities of forest vegetation in tropical Southeast Asia for 1980. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to incorporate spatial databases of climatic, edaphic, and geomorphological indices and vegetation to estimate potential (i.e., in the absence of human intervention and natural disturbance) carbon densities of forests. The resulting map was then modified to estimate actual 1980 carbon density as a function of population density and climatic zone. The database covers the following 13 countries: Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia (Campuchea), India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand,more » and Vietnam. The data sets within this database are provided in three file formats: ARC/INFOTM exported integer grids, ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) files formatted for raster-based GIS software packages, and generic ASCII files with x, y coordinates for use with non-GIS software packages. This database includes ten ARC/INFO exported integer grid files (five with the pixel size 3.75 km x 3.75 km and five with the pixel size 0.25 degree longitude x 0.25 degree latitude) and 27 ASCII files. The first ASCII file contains the documentation associated with this database. Twenty-four of the ASCII files were generated by means of the ARC/INFO GRIDASCII command and can be used by most raster-based GIS software packages. The 24 files can be subdivided into two groups of 12 files each. These files contain real data values representing actual carbon and potential carbon density in Mg C/ha (1 megagram = 10{sup 6} grams) and integer-coded values for country name, Weck's Climatic Index, ecofloristic zone, elevation, forest or non-forest designation, population density, mean annual precipitation, slope, soil texture, and vegetation classification. One set of 12 files contains these data at a spatial resolution of 3.75 km, whereas the other set of 12 files has a spatial resolution of 0.25 degree. The remaining two ASCII data files combine all of the data from the 24 ASCII data files into 2 single generic data files. The first file has a spatial resolution of 3.75 km, and the second has a resolution of 0.25 degree. Both files also provide a grid-cell identification number and the longitude and latitude of the center-point of each grid cell. The 3.75-km data in this numeric data package yield an actual total carbon estimate of 42.1 Pg (1 petagram = 10{sup 15} grams) and a potential carbon estimate of 73.6 Pg; whereas the 0.25-degree data produced an actual total carbon estimate of 41.8 Pg and a total potential carbon estimate of 73.9 Pg. Fortran and SAS{trademark} access codes are provided to read the ASCII data files, and ARC/INFO and ARCVIEW command syntax are provided to import the ARC/INFO exported integer grid files. The data files and this documentation are available without charge on a variety of media and via the Internet from the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC).« less

  20. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Brown, S.

    A database was generated of estimates of geographically referenced carbon densities of forest vegetation in tropical Southeast Asia for 1980. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to incorporate spatial databases of climatic, edaphic, and geomorphological indices and vegetation to estimate potential (i.e., in the absence of human intervention and natural disturbance) carbon densities of forests. The resulting map was then modified to estimate actual 1980 carbon density as a function of population density and climatic zone. The database covers the following 13 countries: Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia (Campuchea), India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand,more » and Vietnam. The data sets within this database are provided in three file formats: ARC/INFO{trademark} exported integer grids, ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) files formatted for raster-based GIS software packages, and generic ASCII files with x, y coordinates for use with non-GIS software packages. This database includes ten ARC/INFO exported integer grid files (five with the pixel size 3.75 km x 3.75 km and five with the pixel size 0.25 degree longitude x 0.25 degree latitude) and 27 ASCII files. The first ASCII file contains the documentation associated with this database. Twenty-four of the ASCII files were generated by means of the ARC/INFO GRIDASCII command and can be used by most raster-based GIS software packages. The 24 files can be subdivided into two groups of 12 files each. These files contain real data values representing actual carbon and potential carbon density in Mg C/ha (1 megagram = 10{sup 6} grams) and integer- coded values for country name, Weck's Climatic Index, ecofloristic zone, elevation, forest or non-forest designation, population density, mean annual precipitation, slope, soil texture, and vegetation classification. One set of 12 files contains these data at a spatial resolution of 3.75 km, whereas the other set of 12 files has a spatial resolution of 0.25 degree. The remaining two ASCII data files combine all of the data from the 24 ASCII data files into 2 single generic data files. The first file has a spatial resolution of 3.75 km, and the second has a resolution of 0.25 degree. Both files also provide a grid-cell identification number and the longitude and latitude of the centerpoint of each grid cell. The 3.75-km data in this numeric data package yield an actual total carbon estimate of 42.1 Pg (1 petagram = 10{sup 15} grams) and a potential carbon estimate of 73.6 Pg; whereas the 0.25-degree data produced an actual total carbon estimate of 41.8 Pg and a total potential carbon estimate of 73.9 Pg. Fortran and SASTM access codes are provided to read the ASCII data files, and ARC/INFO and ARCVIEW command syntax are provided to import the ARC/INFO exported integer grid files. The data files and this documentation are available without charge on a variety of media and via the Internet from the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC).« less

  1. AB052. The Human Variome Project (HVP) and the HVP ASEAN Node

    PubMed Central

    Alwi, Zilfalil Bin

    2015-01-01

    The Human Variome Project (HVP) is an international NGO that is working to build capacity in responsible clinical genomics around the world. Founded in 2006, and lead in its early years by Professor Richard Cotton, the Project has grown to become a global movement with over 1,300 individual members from 81 countries and close to 200 data provider members. The project works to ensure that the lack of access to information on genetic variants and their effects on human health is not an impediment to diagnosis and treatment. Together with partner organisations including national and regional human genetics societies, national governments and intergovernmental organisations such as UNESCO—of which the HVP is an NGO official partner—the project establishes standards, guidelines and best practices for the responsible development and operation of genetic variation data sharing infrastructure, facilitates training and education of the public and the clinical genomics field and assists in embedding data sharing into routine clinical practice. The HVP believes that the free and open sharing of genetic variation is fundamental to providing quality clinical care. To ensure that this data can be collected, curated, interpreted and shared in a responsible manner that is respectful of the diverse ethical, legal and social differences of its member countries, the HVP works with local stakeholders in each country to establish HVP Country Nodes. An HVP Country Node is defined as having three components: (I) a repository, or linked network of databases, that collect and store information on variation in the human genome that has been generated within each country and that enables the sharing of that information both nationally and internationally; (II) a governance structure that ensures that the work of the Node is both sustainable in the long term and is consistent with all relevant national and international ethical, legal and social requirements; and (III) a set of policies and procedures that ensures that the repository is operated and maintained in a responsible and accountable manner that is consistent with both national and HVP Standards. The HVP Malaysian Node (MyHVP), one of 23 HVP Country Nodes currently in existence, was established in 2010 and officially launched by Professor Cotton. The MyHVP database was made available on the internet a year later. The HVP Malaysian Node has taken a key role in the region and has worked to establish the HVP ASEAN Regional Node. Among its objectives is to foster closer collaboration among ASEAN member states on issues relating to data sharing, data basing and variant interpretation expertise, resources and technical facilities. The HVP ASEAN Regional Node also provides help with capacity building and training, especially to less well-resourced countries in the South East Asian region, for example Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar. The HVP ASEAN Regional Node was launched in 2013 at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kota Bharu, Malaysia. Representatives from Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Philippines and the international Human Variome Project were represented. This presentation will provide an in-depth overview of the HVP ASEAN Regional Node and its progress to date.

  2. A systematic review of community-based interventions for emerging zoonotic infectious diseases in Southeast Asia

    PubMed Central

    Halton, Kate; Sarna, Mohinder; Barnett, Adrian; Leonardo, Lydia; Graves, Nicholas

    2013-01-01

    Executive Summary Background Southeast Asia has been at the epicentre of recent epidemics of emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases. Community-based surveillance and control interventions have been heavily promoted but the most effective interventions have not been identified. Objectives This review evaluated evidence for the effectiveness of community-based surveillance interventions at monitoring and identifying emerging infectious disease; the effectiveness of community-based control interventions at reducing rates of emerging infectious disease; and contextual factors that influence intervention effectiveness. Inclusion criteria Participants Communities in Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam. Types of intervention(s) Non-pharmaceutical, non-vaccine, and community-based surveillance or prevention and control interventions targeting rabies, Nipah virus, dengue, SARS or avian influenza. Types of outcomes Primary outcomes: measures: of infection or disease; secondary outcomes: measures of intervention function. Types of studies Original quantitative studies published in English. Search strategy Databases searched (1980 to 2011): PubMed, CINAHL, ProQuest, EBSCOhost, Web of Science, Science Direct, Cochrane database of systematic reviews, WHOLIS, British Development Library, LILACS, World Bank (East Asia), Asian Development Bank. Methodological quality Two independent reviewers critically appraised studies using standard Joanna Briggs Institute instruments. Disagreements were resolved through discussion. Data extraction A customised tool was used to extract quantitative data on intervention(s), populations, study methods, and primary and secondary outcomes; and qualitative contextual information or narrative evidence about interventions. Data synthesis Data was synthesised in a narrative summary with the aid of tables. Meta-analysis was used to statistically pool quantitative results. Results Fifty-seven studies were included. Vector control interventions using copepods, environmental cleanup and education are effective and sustainable at reducing dengue in rural and urban communities, whilst insecticide spraying is effective in urban outbreak situations. Community-based surveillance interventions can effectively identify avian influenza in backyard flocks, but have not been broadly applied. Outbreak control interventions for Nipah virus and SARS are effective but may not be suitable for ongoing control. Canine vaccination and education is more acceptable than culling, but still fails to reach coverage levels required to effectively control rabies. Contextual factors were identified that influence community engagement with, and ultimately effectiveness of, interventions. Conclusion Despite investment in community-based disease control and surveillance in Southeast Asia, published evidence evaluating interventions is limited in quantity and quality. Nonetheless this review identified a number of effective interventions, and several contextual factors influencing effectiveness. Identification of the best programs will require comparative evidence of effectiveness acceptability, cost-effectiveness and sustainability. Implications for practice Interventions are more effective if there are high levels of community ownership and engagement. Linkages between veterinary and public health surveillance systems are essential. Interventions are not well accepted when they fail to acknowledge the importance of animals for economic activity in communities. Implications for research Evidence is needed on functioning and outcomes of current surveillance systems and novel low-cost methods of surveillance. Evaluations of control interventions should control for confounding and report measures of disease, cost and sustainability. Translational research is needed to assess generalisability and evaluate roll-out of effective interventions as regional or national programs.

  3. Hemodialysis in Asia

    PubMed Central

    Prasad, Narayan; Jha, Vivekanand

    2015-01-01

    Background Asia is the largest, most populous and most heterogeneous continent in the world. The number of patients with end-stage renal disease is growing rapidly in Asia. Summary A fully informed report on the status of dialysis therapies including hemodialysis (HD) is limited by the lack of systematic registries. Available data suggest remarkable heterogeneities, with some countries like Taiwan, Japan and Korea exhibiting well-established HD systems, high prevalence and universal access to all patients, while low- and low-middle income countries are unable to provide HD to eligible patients because of high cost and poor healthcare systems. Many Asian countries have unregulated dialysis units, with poor standards of delivery, quality control and outcome reporting. This leads to high mortality due to preventable complications like infections. Modeling data suggest that at least 2.9 million people need dialysis in Asia, which represents a gap in availability of dialysis to the tune of −66%. The population is projected to grow rapidly in the coming years. Several countries are expanding access to HD. Innovative modifications in dialysis practice are being made to optimize outcomes. It is important to develop robust systems of documentation and outcome reporting to evaluate the effects of such changes. HD needs to develop in conjunction with effective preventive programs and improvement of health systems. Key Messages The practice of HD in Asia is growing and evolving. Rapid expansion will improve the currently dismal access to care for large sections of the population. Quality issues need to be addressed if the full benefit of this therapy is to reach the population. Developed countries of Asia can provide substantial messages to developing economies. HD programs must develop in conjunction with prevention efforts. Facts from East and West (1) While developed Western and Asian countries provide end-stage renal disease patients full access to HD, healthcare systems from South and South-East Asia can offer access to HD only to a limited fraction of the patients in need. Even though the annual costs of HD are much lower in less developed countries (for instance 30 times lower in India compared to the US), patients often cannot afford costs not covered by health insurance. (2) The recommended dialysis pattern in the West is at least three sessions weekly with high-flux dialyzers. Studies from Shanghai and Taiwan might however indicate a benefit of twice versus thrice weekly sessions. In less developed Asian countries, a twice weekly pattern is common, sometimes with dialyzer reuse and inadequate water treatment. A majority of patients decrease session frequency or discontinue the program due to financial constraint. (3) As convective therapies are gaining popularity in Europe, penetration in Asia is low and limited by costs. (4) In Asian countries, in particular in the South and South-East, hepatitis and tuberculosis infections in HD patients are higher than in the West and substantially increase mortality. (5) Progress has recently been made in countries like Thailand and Brunei to provide universal HD access to all patients in need. Nevertheless, well-trained personnel, reliable registries and better patient follow-up would improve outcomes in low-income Asian countries. PMID:27536677

  4. Ruschita Romanian marble - 130 years of official exploitation and 130 m depth of architectural beauty around the word

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cetean, Valentina

    2013-04-01

    Developed in a large metamorphic area, the marble deposit from Ruschita perimeter is the most important Romanian source for ornamental stone, the old quarry being operative since 1883. The closest locality offer the commercial name also, identical with the geological one as is defined in the technical referentials and in the denomination European standard. Ruschita is also an active quarry, developed by step-by-step expansion in depth (the initial extraction reached 130 m depth), but also in the adjacent areas. The important height of the open deposit offered the possibility to the owner, MARMOSIM SA, to apply an experimental extraction method, by underground mining. It is the only Romanian place, and few in the world, where this spectacular mining element can be found for dimension stone. The extraction gallery was built starting from the lower level of the old quarry and allowed obtaining nicer and bigger blocks. The Ruschita marble is a metamorphic stone with high crystallinity and medium size of crystals (until 0.2-0.5 mm). Has the basic colour from white and grey to pink, with many intermediary nuances generally given by grey veins and less by impurities from internal structure. The stone present irregular break, sometimes following the very narrow internal discontinuities, invisible at macroscopic analyse. The main physical - mechanical characteristics are presented below: Characteristic M.U. Value Apparent density Kg/m3 2680 - 2720 Water absorption % 0.12 - 0.21 Capillarity g/m2.s0,5 0.130-0.218 Porosity % 0.30 - 0.74 Compression strength N/mm2 85 - 120 Flexural strength MPa 15-18 Rupture energy J 5 Coefficient of frost cleftness % 10 -14 Abrasion resistance - Bohme cm3/50cm2 17-18 Salt crystallization % 0.1 Nowadays, the extraction in the Ruschita area is achieved by equipments from Dazzini, Fantini, Pellegrini, Korfamann, Caterpillar, Volvo and Komatsu. The average volume of blocks is bigger than 10-12 m2. The Ruschita marble can be easily cut at size and the slabs being used both for inside and the outside application: from flooring, walling, stairs, solid masonry units, capitals, plinths, fireplaces, kitchen tops (even if not-recommended because is not resistant to acids), tablet, architectural elements, until paving and flooring works, elements in contact with the floor, non-vertical surfaces etc. A bigger attention has to be paid for using of Ruschita marble at external facades in those regions with many freezing - thaw cycles per year with big differences between the lower and higher value of temperature, because the stone can suffer important damage due to the different thermal dilatation coefficient. In this case, the recommended thickness of panels is bigger than 2 cm, the lustre final polishing The Dom from Milano - known as into a continuously maintenance work in the last 500 years - was partially rebuilt in the '70ties with Ruschita marble. Another interesting places where this marble was used are: the Parliament buildings from Wien (Austria) and Budapest (Hungary), BBC centre from Menheim (Germany), architectural elements from Michael Schumacher's villa from Monte Carlo or the bathrooms from sultan's palace in Brunei. Similar to other type of marbles used as in the ornamental stone industry, Ruschita type combines the specific colour with the internal structure, qualitative properties and unique ornamental characteristics. All these are decisive elements recommend the Ruschita marble as candidates for "Global Heritage Stone Resource" designation.

  5. Systematics of Old World Odontacolus Kieffer s.l. (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae s.l.): parasitoids of spider eggs

    PubMed Central

    Valerio, Alejandro A.; Austin, Andrew D.; Masner, Lubomír; Johnson, Norman F.

    2013-01-01

    Abstract The genera Odontacolus Kieffer and Cyphacolus Priesner are among the most distinctive platygastroid wasps because of their laterally compressed metasomal horn; however, their generic status has remained unclear. We present a morphological phylogenetic analysis comprising all 38 Old World and four Neotropical Odontacolus species and 13 Cyphacolus species, which demonstrates that the latter is monophyletic but nested within a somewhat poorly resolved Odontacolus. Based on these results Cyphacolus syn. n. is placed as a junior synonym of Odontacolus which is here redefined. The taxonomy of Old World Odontacolus s.str. is revised; the previously known species Odontacolus longiceps Kieffer (Seychelles), Odontacolus markadicus Veenakumari (India), Odontacolus spinosus (Dodd) (Australia) and Odontacolus hackeri (Dodd) (Australia) are re-described, and 32 new species are described: Odontacolus africanus Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Congo, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe), Odontacolus aldrovandii Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Nepal), Odontacolus anningae Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Cameroon), Odontacolus australiensis Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia), Odontacolus baeri Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia), Odontacolus berryae Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island), Odontacolus bosei Valerio & Austin sp. n. (India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka), Odontacolus cardaleae Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia), Odontacolus darwini Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Thailand), Odontacolus dayi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Indonesia), Odontacolus gallowayi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia), Odontacolus gentingensis Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Malaysia), Odontacolus guineensis Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Guinea), Odontacolus harveyi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia), Odontacolus heratyi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Fiji), Odontacolus heydoni Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Malaysia, Thailand), Odontacolus irwini Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Fiji), Odontacolus jacksonae Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Cameroon, Guinea, Madagascar), Odontacolus kiau Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Papua New Guinea), Odontacolus lamarcki Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Thailand), Odontacolus madagascarensis Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Madagascar), Odontacolus mayri Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Indonesia, Thailand), Odontacolus mot Valerio & Austin sp. n. (India), Odontacolus noyesi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (India, Indonesia), Odontacolus pintoi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island), Odontacolus schlingeri Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Fiji), Odontacolus sharkeyi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Thailand), Odontacolus veroae Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Fiji), Odontacolus wallacei Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia, Indonesia, Malawi, Papua New Guinea), Odontacolus whitfieldi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (China, India, Indonesia, Sulawesi, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam), Odontacolus zborowskii Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia), and Odontacolus zimi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Madagascar). In addition, all species of Cyphacolus are here transferred to Odontacolus: Odontacolus asheri (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Sri Lanka), Odontacolus axfordi (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Australia), Odontacolus bhowaliensis (Mani & Mukerjee) comb. n. (India), Odontacolus bouceki (Austin & Iqbal) comb. n. (Australia), Odontacolus copelandi (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Thailand), Odontacolus diazae (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Kenya), Odontacolus harteni (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Yemen, Ivory Coast, Paskistan), Odontacolus jenningsi (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Australia), Odontacolus leblanci (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Guinea), Odontacolus lucianae (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Ivory Coast, Madagascar, South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe), Odontacolus normani (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (India, United Arab Emirates), Odontacolus sallyae (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Australia), Odontacolus tessae (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Australia), Odontacolus tullyae (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Australia), Odontacolus veniprivus (Priesner) comb. n. (Egypt), and Odontacolus watshami (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Africa, Madagascar). Two species of Odontacolus are transferred to the genus Idris Förster: Idris longispinosus (Girault) comb. n. and Idris amoenus (Kononova) comb. n., and Odontacolus doddi Austin syn. n. is placed as a junior synonym of Odontacolus spinosus (Dodd). Odontacolus markadicus, previously only known from India, is here recorded from Brunei, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. The relationships, distribution and biology of Odontacolus are discussed, and a key is provided to identify all species. PMID:23878506

  6. Systematics of Old World Odontacolus Kieffer s.l. (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae s.l.): parasitoids of spider eggs.

    PubMed

    A Valerio, Alejandro; Austin, Andrew D; Masner, Lubomír; Johnson, Norman F

    2013-01-01

    The genera Odontacolus Kieffer and Cyphacolus Priesner are among the most distinctive platygastroid wasps because of their laterally compressed metasomal horn; however, their generic status has remained unclear. We present a morphological phylogenetic analysis comprising all 38 Old World and four Neotropical Odontacolus species and 13 Cyphacolus species, which demonstrates that the latter is monophyletic but nested within a somewhat poorly resolved Odontacolus. Based on these results Cyphacolus syn. n. is placed as a junior synonym of Odontacolus which is here redefined. The taxonomy of Old World Odontacolus s.str. is revised; the previously known species Odontacolus longiceps Kieffer (Seychelles), Odontacolus markadicus Veenakumari (India), Odontacolus spinosus (Dodd) (Australia) and Odontacolus hackeri (Dodd) (Australia) are re-described, and 32 new species are described: Odontacolus africanus Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Congo, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe), Odontacolus aldrovandii Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Nepal), Odontacolus anningae Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Cameroon), Odontacolus australiensis Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia), Odontacolus baeri Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia), Odontacolus berryae Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island), Odontacolus bosei Valerio & Austin sp. n. (India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka), Odontacolus cardaleae Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia), Odontacolus darwini Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Thailand), Odontacolus dayi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Indonesia), Odontacolus gallowayi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia), Odontacolus gentingensis Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Malaysia), Odontacolus guineensis Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Guinea), Odontacolus harveyi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia), Odontacolus heratyi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Fiji), Odontacolus heydoni Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Malaysia, Thailand), Odontacolus irwini Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Fiji), Odontacolus jacksonae Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Cameroon, Guinea, Madagascar), Odontacolus kiau Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Papua New Guinea), Odontacolus lamarcki Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Thailand), Odontacolus madagascarensis Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Madagascar), Odontacolus mayri Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Indonesia, Thailand), Odontacolus mot Valerio & Austin sp. n. (India), Odontacolus noyesi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (India, Indonesia), Odontacolus pintoi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island), Odontacolus schlingeri Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Fiji), Odontacolus sharkeyi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Thailand), Odontacolus veroae Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Fiji), Odontacolus wallacei Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia, Indonesia, Malawi, Papua New Guinea), Odontacolus whitfieldi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (China, India, Indonesia, Sulawesi, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam), Odontacolus zborowskii Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia), and Odontacolus zimi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Madagascar). In addition, all species of Cyphacolus are here transferred to Odontacolus: Odontacolus asheri (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Sri Lanka), Odontacolus axfordi (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Australia), Odontacolus bhowaliensis (Mani & Mukerjee) comb. n. (India), Odontacolus bouceki (Austin & Iqbal) comb. n. (Australia), Odontacolus copelandi (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Thailand), Odontacolus diazae (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Kenya), Odontacolus harteni (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Yemen, Ivory Coast, Paskistan), Odontacolus jenningsi (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Australia), Odontacolus leblanci (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Guinea), Odontacolus lucianae (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Ivory Coast, Madagascar, South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe), Odontacolus normani (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (India, United Arab Emirates), Odontacolus sallyae (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Australia), Odontacolus tessae (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Australia), Odontacolus tullyae (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Australia), Odontacolus veniprivus (Priesner) comb. n. (Egypt), and Odontacolus watshami (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Africa, Madagascar). Two species of Odontacolus are transferred to the genus Idris Förster: Idris longispinosus (Girault) comb. n. and Idris amoenus (Kononova) comb. n., and Odontacolus doddi Austin syn. n. is placed as a junior synonym of Odontacolus spinosus (Dodd). Odontacolus markadicus, previously only known from India, is here recorded from Brunei, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. The relationships, distribution and biology of Odontacolus are discussed, and a key is provided to identify all species.

  7. Book Review:

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Borcherds, P. H.

    2004-09-01

    There is a new tradition in England called Apple Day which is held on some day in October. The actual day varies from place to place. For instance, in 2003, 23 October was Apple Day at Woolsthorpe Manor, the house where Isaac Newton was born and where, during the Plague, he is said to have developed the theory of gravity. (For information on future Apple Days see, for example, http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/thingstodo.) Last year in our garden we picked an apple which weighed one pound, thirteen and a half ounces (1 lb 13 1/2 oz or 29 1/2 oz). The following day we went to an Apple Day event where there were many exotic apples on display, varieties which are not sold in shops. One of the varieties there was called 'Twenty Ounce'. By now you may be wondering what all this has to do with the book being reviewed. We shall return to this later. This entertaining book is ostensibly about units, in particular about Imperial and metric units, but there are numerous informative digressions. The author reminds us that almost every country 'with the exception of the United States, North and South Yemen, Burma and Brunei' has gone metric. He points out that the United States (US) became officially metric in 1893. However, as early as 1866, the US legal definition of the metre was 39.370000 inches. He tells us that after World War II the (US) inch was rounded down (from 25.400051) to 25.4 mm. There is no mention that the Imperial (British) inch was simultaneously rounded up from 25.399956 mm to 25.4 mm. The author frequently digresses, covering such matters as the trisection of angles and Eratosthenes' graphic solution for duplicating the cube. There is an informative discussion on the length of the day: appropriately 25 December, which lasts for 24 h and 30 s, is the longest day. He shows how with cycles and epicycles one can construct an ellipse. Ptolemy did not realize the importance of the focus of the ellipse. The author discusses various topics in the development of physics and of the industrial revolution, much of which took place not very far from where I am writing. We are reminded of James Watt (whose firm, Boulton and Watt, was in Birmingham) and his invention of the horsepower (HP). My slide-rule cursor has a special mark for 746 (watt/HP). We are reminded of the powers of 10 prefixes in the metric system, and of the importance of distinguishing upper case M, 106, from lower case m, 10-3. This distinction appears not to be very well known to journalists, who regularly report on new power stations which are capable of producing nearly as much power as a torch battery. Let us now return to our apples. The SI unit of force is the Newton, which is very appropriate since the Newton is about the weight of an average apple. Not of course the weight of a Twenty Ounce apple, whose weight is about 5 N. In the preface there is an implicit reminder that many English proverbs and figures of speech make use of Imperial units. My impression is that some of the countries of the British Commonwealth, when they went metric, did everything they could to eliminate all mention of Imperial units. (Referring to Imperial units has not been made a hanging offence, but perhaps that is because the death penalty has been abolished.) Do they now say 'A miss is as good as 1.6 kilometres' or is it rounded down to 'a kilometre'? In the course of a survey of obsolescent units we are reminded of the guinea (21 shillings = £1.05). In horse-racing, at least, it is not yet obsolete: there are classic races still called the Thousand Guineas and the Two Thousand Guineas, but no doubt the Brussels Eurocrats would like to call them the Thousand and Fifty Pounds or the One Thousand Seven Hundred and Forty-Three Euros, and will in due course prosecute someone if the names are not changed into Eurospeak. The final section of the book is entitled 'The global vision: illusion or reality'. In this the author calls for a unified system of units. But we already have one: SI provides just that. It is highly desirable that nuts and bolts and other components have standardized sizes. When I was a student there were numerous British Standard (BS) sizes for nuts and bolts, including British Standard Whitworth (BSW), British Standard Fine (BSF), British Standard Pipe (still used, I think), British Association (BA), as well as American sizes (in inches) and continental sizes (metric). This could be a nuisance when your car loses a nut in a foreign country. There is clearly a great advantage in having a common international standard for components. Incidentally, the BA standard, dating back to the mid 19th century, was a metric standard: the largest bolt, 0 BA, is 6 mm diameter; the other sizes are logarithmically related. I can really see no merit in forcing everyone to use the same unit names. If I prefer to use pounds and ounces and you to use grams and kilograms, this is no real inconvenience to anyone. My motor car has an onboard computer which allows me to choose whether to show fuel consumption etc in Imperial or metric units and I have recently bought a digital thermometer which allows me to choose between the two centigrade systems, invented by Fahrenheit and Celsius. The author himself suggests a new temperature scale with the degree denoted by °H. He does not give a name to his new scale; possibly it is Hebra? As readers will have gathered, I have enjoyed reading and reviewing this book, and I recommend it to readers of European Journal of Physics for their erudition and entertainment. It is not intended as a textbook, but you will find in it some anecdotes and examples with which to enliven your lectures. Either buy it for yourself, or drop hints to your family that it would make a suitable present (to give to you), and recommend it to your librarian. Long live the Twenty Ounce apple!

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