Sample records for japan taiwan thailand

  1. 76 FR 19788 - Carbon Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings From Brazil, China, Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-04-08

    ...)] Carbon Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings From Brazil, China, Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand Determinations On... fittings from Brazil, China, Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand would be likely to lead to continuation or... Pipe Fittings from Brazil, China, Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand: Investigation Nos. 731-TA-308-310 and...

  2. 76 FR 21331 - Certain Carbon Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings From Brazil, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and the People...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-04-15

    ...-807, A-570-814] Certain Carbon Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings From Brazil, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and... butt-weld pipe fittings from Brazil, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and the People's Republic of China (PRC... duty orders on carbon steel butt-weld pipe fittings from Brazil, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and the PRC...

  3. 76 FR 7151 - Certain Carbon Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings From Brazil, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and the People...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-02-09

    ...-807, A-570-814] Certain Carbon Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings From Brazil, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and..., Thailand, and the People's Republic of China (PRC), pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930... antidumping duty orders \\1\\ on carbon steel butt-weld pipe fittings from Brazil, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and...

  4. 76 FR 5205 - Carbon Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings from Brazil, China, Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-01-28

    ...)] Carbon Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings from Brazil, China, Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand AGENCY: United... Thailand. SUMMARY: The Commission hereby gives notice of the scheduling of expedited reviews pursuant to..., Taiwan, and Thailand would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a...

  5. Situation Report--China, El Salvador, Hong Kong, Japan, Nigeria, Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    International Planned Parenthood Federation, London (England).

    Data relating to population and family planning in eight foreign countries are presented in these situation reports. Countries included are China, El Salvador, Hong Kong, Japan, Nigeria, Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. Information is provided where appropriate and available, under two topics, general background and family planning…

  6. 76 FR 8345 - Certain Carbon Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings From Brazil, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and the People...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-02-14

    ... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-351-602, A-588-602, A-583-605, A-549-807, A-570-814] Certain Carbon Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings From Brazil, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and the People's Republic of China: Final Results of the Expedited Sunset Reviews of the Antidumping Duty Orders Correction In notice document 2011...

  7. Health-care data collecting, sharing, and using in Thailand, China mainland, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Aljunid, Syed Mohamed; Srithamrongsawat, Samrit; Chen, Wen; Bae, Seung Jin; Pwu, Raoh-Fang; Ikeda, Shunya; Xu, Ling

    2012-01-01

    This article sought to describe the health-care data situation in six selected economies in the Asia-Pacific region. Authors from Thailand, China mainland, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and Malaysia present their analyses in three parts. The first part of the article describes the data-collection process and the sources of data. The second part of the article presents issues around policies of data sharing with the stakeholders. The third and final part of the article focuses on the extent of health-care data use for policy reform in these different economies. Even though these economies differ in their economic structure and population size, they share some similarities on issues related to health-care data. There are two main institutions that collect and manage the health-care data in these economies. In Thailand, China mainland, Taiwan, and Malaysia, the Ministry of Health is responsible through its various agencies for collecting and managing the health-care data. On the other hand, health insurance is the main institution that collects and stores health-care data in South Korea and Japan. In all economies, sharing of and access to data is an issue. The reasons for limited access to some data are privacy protection, fragmented health-care system, poor quality of routinely collected data, unclear policies and procedures to access the data, and control on the freedom on publication. The primary objective of collecting health-care data in these economies is to aid the policymakers and researchers in policy decision making as well as create an awareness on health-care issues for the general public. The usage of data in monitoring the performance of the heath system is still in the process of development. In conclusion, for the region under discussion, health-care data collection is under the responsibility of the Ministry of Health and health insurance agencies. Data are collected from health-care providers mainly from the public sector. Routinely collected data are

  8. Value-based approaches to healthcare systems and pharmacoeconomics requirements in Asia: South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Japan.

    PubMed

    Kamae, Isao

    2010-01-01

    Asian healthcare systems are very diverse, representing cultures, political systems and economies from more than 30 countries with varying histories. Despite the diversity in the region, there has been enormous growth in health economics and outcomes research since the beginning of the 21st century. Whilst Japan has seen very limited use of health technology assessment (HTA), South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand have had remarkable success in establishing government agencies for HTA, employing HTA concepts from the UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). These three countries are driven by the following common factors: (i) a desire to establish universal healthcare insurance coverage in their respective nations; (ii) the need for rational allocation of scarce resources; (iii) a desire for government to provide leadership in HTA; and (iv) availability of HTA professionals and faculties through international networks. The HTA models introduced by these three countries are both similar to and different from those of HTA agencies in Europe, but might work well as examples for other countries in the region.

  9. 78 FR 24435 - Hot-Rolled Steel Products From China, India, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, and Ukraine

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-04-25

    ... 906-908 (Second Review)] Hot-Rolled Steel Products From China, India, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, and... products from India, Indonesia, and Thailand and antidumping duty orders on hot-rolled steel products from China, India, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, and Ukraine. AGENCY: United States International Trade...

  10. 77 FR 39736 - Certain Circular Welded Pipe and Tube From Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, Thailand, and...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-07-05

    ..., Taiwan, Thailand, and Turkey Determinations On the basis of the record \\1\\ developed in the subject five... circular welded pipe and tube from Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, Thailand, and Turkey would be... Pipe and Tube from Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, Thailand, and Turkey: Investigation Nos. 701...

  11. Was the economic crisis 1997-1998 responsible for rising suicide rates in East/Southeast Asia? A time-trend analysis for Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Thailand.

    PubMed

    Chang, Shu-Sen; Gunnell, David; Sterne, Jonathan A C; Lu, Tsung-Hsueh; Cheng, Andrew T A

    2009-04-01

    In 1997-1998 a widespread economic crisis hit the economies of many East/Southeast Asian countries; its impact on suicide rates across the region has not been systematically documented. We investigated the impact of the Asian economic crisis (1997-1998) on suicide in Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Thailand. Suicide and population data for the period 1985-2006 were extracted from the World Health Organisation's mortality database and Taiwanese mortality statistics. Sex-specific age-standardised suicide rates for people aged 15years or above were analysed using joinpoint regression. Trends in divorce, marriage, unemployment, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and alcohol consumption were compared with trends in suicide rates graphically and using time-series analysis. Suicide mortality decreased in the late 1980s and early 1990s but subsequently increased markedly in all countries except Singapore, which had steadily declining suicide rates throughout the study period. Compared to 1997, male rates in 1998 rose by 39% in Japan, 44% in Hong Kong and 45% in Korea; rises in female rates were less marked. Male rates also rose in Thailand, but accurate data were incomplete. The economic crisis was associated with 10,400 more suicides in 1998 compared to 1997 in Japan, Hong Kong and Korea. Similar increases in suicide rates were not seen in Taiwan and Singapore, the two countries where the economic crisis had a smaller impact on GDP and unemployment. Time-series analyses indicated that some of the crisis's impact on male suicides was attributable to increases in unemployment. These findings suggest an association of the Asian economic crisis with a sharp increase in suicide mortality in some, but not all, East/Southeast Asian countries, and that these increases were most closely associated with rises in unemployment.

  12. 78 FR 11901 - Hot-Rolled Steel Products From China, India, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, and Ukraine; Notice of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-02-20

    ... 906-908 (Second Review)] Hot-Rolled Steel Products From China, India, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, and..., Indonesia, and Thailand and the revocation of the antidumping duty orders on hot-rolled steel products from China, India, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, and Ukraine would be likely to lead to continuation or...

  13. A comparison of chronic pain prevalence in Japan, Thailand, and myanmar.

    PubMed

    Sakakibara, Toshihiko; Wang, Zhuo; Paholpak, Permsak; Kosuwon, Weerachai; Oo, Myint; Kasai, Yuichi

    2013-01-01

    Pain has been regarded as important in the improvement of quality of life (QOL). In the advanced countries of Europe and the North America, a number of large-scale epidemiological surveys on pain, particularly chronic pain, have thus been performed in general populations. However, few epidemiological surveys of chronic pain have been reported from developing countries, and no surveys appear to have examined chronic pain in the least developed countries. To compare the incidence of chronic pain in Asian countries, using Japan as an advanced country, Thailand as a developing country, and Myanmar as one of the least developed countries. Cross-sectional study in 4 hospitals. A university hospital and a general hospital in Japan, a university hospital in Thailand, and a general hospital in Myanmar. Patients were 1,000 nursing staff working in Japan, 448 nursing staff working in Thailand, and 405 nursing staff working in Myanmar. The survey was performed by requesting all nursing staff to anonymously answer the questionnaire. Data were used to calculate chronic pain prevalence, pain site, presence or absence of consultation with doctors, methods of handling pain other than consultation with doctors, and whether pain was controlled for each country. The results were then compared between countries. The prevalence of chronic pain in Myanmar was 5.9%, which was significantly lower (P < 0.01) than in Japan (17.5%) or Thailand (19.9%). The most frequent pain sites were the lower back, head, and shoulders in Japan, and the shoulders, ankle, upper back, and head in Thailand, whereas in Myanmar, no clear certain tendencies were observed. The most frequent method for handling pain other than consultation with doctors was over-the-counter drugs in Japan, massage in Thailand, and relaxation therapy (meditation) in Myanmar. Limitations of this study were the cross-sectional design study, the small number of hospitals included, the limitation of patients to nursing staff, and the

  14. 77 FR 2318 - Certain Circular Welded Pipe and Tube From Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, Thailand, and...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-01-17

    ..., Taiwan, Thailand, and Turkey; Scheduling of Full Five-Year Reviews AGENCY: United States International... Turkey, the antidumping duty orders on welded carbon steel pipe and tube from India, Thailand, and Turkey...

  15. 76 FR 65748 - Certain Pipe and Tube From Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, Thailand, and Turkey; Commission...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-10-24

    ...-534, and 536 (Third Review)] Certain Pipe and Tube From Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, Thailand... Turkey, the antidumping duty orders on welded carbon steel pipe and tube from India, Thailand, and Turkey... group responses with respect to Mexico, Thailand, and Turkey were adequate, and decided to conduct full...

  16. Cross-Cultural Learning Approaches in Students from the USA, Japan and Taiwan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Michael B.; Aoshima, Megumi; Bolen, Larry M.; Chia, Rosina; Kohyama, Takaya

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between approaches to learning and locus of control of students from the USA, Japan, and Taiwan. The results show that students from the USA utilized more rote memory learning compared to students from Japan and Taiwan, while students from Japan were more likely to be "Achieving"…

  17. Genetic diversity and stock identification of small abalone (Haliotis diversicolor) in Taiwan and Japan

    PubMed Central

    Hsu, Te-Hua; Gwo, Jin-Chywan

    2017-01-01

    Small abalone (Haliotis diversicolor) is a commercially valuable species for both fisheries and aquaculture. The production of annual farmed small abalone in Taiwan, once the highest in the world, has dramatically decreased in the past 15 years, and currently, the industry is close to collapse. Understanding the genetic diversity of small abalone and developing stock identification methods will be useful for genetic breeding, restoring collapsed stocks, managing stocks, and preventing illegal trade. We investigated 307 cultured and wild individuals from Taiwan, Japan, and Bali Island (Indonesia) by using the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. Network analysis of mtDNA COI gene sequences revealed that the individuals collected from Taiwan, Japan, and Indonesia could be identified, and showed significant genetic divergence. In addition, the Indonesian population (Haliotis diversicolor squamata) was significantly different from the other populations and might need to be considered a separate species. We discovered a single nucleotide polymorphism marker in the mtDNA COI gene that can be used to distinguish the Taiwan population from the Japan population. We also developed a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method for rapid detection. Furthermore, we could identify the cultured stocks, wild population, and hybrid stocks by using 6 microsatellites and amplified fragment length polymorphism. This study contributes useful tools for stock identification and the production of high-disease resistant small abalone strains (Japan × Taiwan or Taiwan × Japan). Efforts should be made to avoid unintentional random genetic mixing of the Taiwan population with the Japan population and subsequent breakdown of population differentiation, which impair local adaptation of the Taiwan wild population. Molecular markers revealed a split between the Taiwan and Japan populations, and the existence of a possible barrier to the free

  18. Genetic diversity and stock identification of small abalone (Haliotis diversicolor) in Taiwan and Japan.

    PubMed

    Hsu, Te-Hua; Gwo, Jin-Chywan

    2017-01-01

    Small abalone (Haliotis diversicolor) is a commercially valuable species for both fisheries and aquaculture. The production of annual farmed small abalone in Taiwan, once the highest in the world, has dramatically decreased in the past 15 years, and currently, the industry is close to collapse. Understanding the genetic diversity of small abalone and developing stock identification methods will be useful for genetic breeding, restoring collapsed stocks, managing stocks, and preventing illegal trade. We investigated 307 cultured and wild individuals from Taiwan, Japan, and Bali Island (Indonesia) by using the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. Network analysis of mtDNA COI gene sequences revealed that the individuals collected from Taiwan, Japan, and Indonesia could be identified, and showed significant genetic divergence. In addition, the Indonesian population (Haliotis diversicolor squamata) was significantly different from the other populations and might need to be considered a separate species. We discovered a single nucleotide polymorphism marker in the mtDNA COI gene that can be used to distinguish the Taiwan population from the Japan population. We also developed a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method for rapid detection. Furthermore, we could identify the cultured stocks, wild population, and hybrid stocks by using 6 microsatellites and amplified fragment length polymorphism. This study contributes useful tools for stock identification and the production of high-disease resistant small abalone strains (Japan × Taiwan or Taiwan × Japan). Efforts should be made to avoid unintentional random genetic mixing of the Taiwan population with the Japan population and subsequent breakdown of population differentiation, which impair local adaptation of the Taiwan wild population. Molecular markers revealed a split between the Taiwan and Japan populations, and the existence of a possible barrier to the free

  19. The characteristics of patient safety culture in Japan, Taiwan and the United States.

    PubMed

    Fujita, Shigeru; Seto, Kanako; Ito, Shinya; Wu, Yinghui; Huang, Chiu-Chin; Hasegawa, Tomonori

    2013-01-14

    Quality and safety issues are receiving growing attention. Patient safety culture (PSC) plays an important role in patient safety. The characteristics of PSC in various countries, each with a different set of values, have not been determined sufficiently. The aim of this study is to investigate the characteristics of PSC in Japan, Taiwan and the U.S. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Japan and Taiwan using the Hospital Survey on PSC (HSOPS) questionnaire developed by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Data from Japan and Taiwan were also compared with the U.S. "2010 HSOPS Comparative Database" provided by AHRQ. Valid response rates in Japan, Taiwan and the U.S. were 66.5% (6,963/10,466), 85.7% (10,019/11,692) and 35.2% (291,341/827,424), respectively. The proportion of respondents with some experience of event reporting during the past 12 months was highest in Japan. In general, U.S. healthcare workers were likely to evaluate their PSC higher than that in Japan or Taiwan. The attitude of continuous improvement in Japan and event reporting of near misses in Taiwan were rated as low. In the U.S., staffing was rated as high. The results suggest that PSC varies among different countries, and the cultural setting of each country should be given special consideration in the development of effective intervention plans to improve PSC. Additional investigations with improved methodology and a common protocol are required to accurately compare PSCs among countries.

  20. Infection Prevention Practices in Japan, Thailand, and the United States: Results From National Surveys.

    PubMed

    Krein, Sarah L; Greene, M Todd; Apisarnthanarak, Anucha; Sakamoto, Fumie; Tokuda, Yasuharu; Sakihama, Tomoko; Fowler, Karen E; Ratz, David; Saint, Sanjay

    2017-05-15

    Numerous evidence-based practices for preventing device-associated infections are available, yet the extent to which these practices are regularly used in acute care hospitals across different countries has not been compared, to our knowledge. Data from hospital surveys conducted in Japan, the United States, and Thailand in 2012, 2013, and 2014, respectively, were evaluated to determine the use of recommended practices to prevent central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI). The outcomes were the percentage of hospitals reporting regular use (a score of 4 or 5 on a scale from 1 [never use] to 5 [always use]) of each practice across countries and identified hospital characteristics associated with the use of selected practices in each country. Survey response rates were 71% in Japan and the United States and 87% in Thailand. A majority of hospitals in Japan (76.6%), Thailand (63.2%), and the United States (97.8%) used maximum barrier precautions for preventing CLABSI and semirecumbent positioning to prevent VAP (66.2% for Japan, 86.7% for Thailand, and 98.7% for the United States). Nearly all hospitals (>90%) in Thailand and the United States reported monitoring CLABSI, VAP, and CAUTI rates, whereas in Japan only CLABSI rates were monitored by a majority of hospitals. Regular use of CAUTI prevention practices was variable across the 3 countries, with only a few practices adopted by >50% of hospitals. A majority of hospitals in Japan, Thailand, and the United States have adopted certain practices to prevent CLABSI and VAP. Opportunities for targeting prevention activities and reducing device-associated infection risk in hospitals exist across all 3 countries. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2017. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

  1. 75 FR 81308 - Stainless Steel Sheet And Strip From Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, And Taiwan

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-12-27

    ...)] Stainless Steel Sheet And Strip From Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, And Taiwan AGENCY: United States... and strip from Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Taiwan. SUMMARY: The Commission hereby gives... strip from Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Taiwan would be likely to lead to continuation or...

  2. 75 FR 59744 - Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip From Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Taiwan

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-09-28

    ...)] Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip From Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Taiwan AGENCY: United States... duty orders on stainless steel sheet and strip from Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Taiwan... stainless steel sheet and strip from Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Taiwan would be likely to...

  3. Smoking beliefs and behavior among youth in South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.

    PubMed

    Lee, Joann; Johnson, Carolyn; Rice, Janet; Warren, C Wick; Chen, Ted

    2013-09-01

    Beliefs about smoking are important predictors of smoking behavior among adolescents, and adolescents who hold positive beliefs about the benefits of smoking are at an increased risk of smoking initiation. An alarming fact is the rising smoking prevalence in Asian countries, particularly the increasing trend in smoking during adolescence. This cross-sectional study examined smoking beliefs and behavior among a nationally representative sample of youth in South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. Descriptive statistics, linear regression, and logistic regression methods were used to analyze data from 13-15-year-old adolescents who participated in the 2005 Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) in South Korea (N = 4,765) and Thailand (N = 15,420) and the 2007 GYTS in Taiwan (N = 3,955). The rate of ever smoking among youth was similar in all three countries and ranged from 26.7 to 28.0 %. The prevalence of current smoking among youth in Thailand (11.4 %) was nearly double the prevalence in South Korea (6.6 %) and Taiwan (6.5 %). Pro-tobacco advertising exposure, as well as older ages, was a positive and significant predictor of positive beliefs about smoking among youth in all three countries. Additionally, youth who reported increased positive smoking-related beliefs, greater pro-tobacco advertising exposure, and were male were more likely to be current smokers in all three countries. Results suggest that greater attention be directed to understanding beliefs and attitudes about smoking among youth. Exploring the relationship between these factors and smoking behavior can provide a strong starting point in the development of effective smoking prevention interventions and tobacco control policies in this region.

  4. 78 FR 42041 - Travel and Tourism Trade Mission to Taiwan, Japan, and Korea

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-15

    ... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration Travel and Tourism Trade Mission to... Foreign Commercial Service is amending notice for the Travel and Tourism Trade Mission to Taiwan, Japan... executive lead the Travel and Tourism Trade Mission to Taiwan, Japan and Korea, March 10-14, 2014, published...

  5. Comparison of the nutrient-based standards for school lunches among South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Kim, Meeyoung; Abe, Satoko; Zhang, Chengyu; Kim, Soyoung; Choi, Jiyu; Hernandez, Emely; Nozue, Miho; Yoon, Jihyun

    2017-01-01

    Nutritional standards are important guidelines for providing students with nutritionally-balanced school meals. This study compared nutrient-based school lunch standards regulated by South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. The data were collected from relevant literature and websites of each country during September 2014. The number of classification groups of target students was 8, 5, and 5 for South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, respectively. Gender was considered across all age groups in South Korea but only for high school students in Taiwan. Gender was not considered in Japan. Along with energy, the number of nutrients included in the standards for South Korea, Japan and Taiwan was 9, 12, and 4, respectively. The standards for all three countries included protein and fat among macronutrients. The standards for South Korea and Japan included vitamin A, B-1, B-2, and C, while the standards for Taiwan did not include any vitamins. Calcium was the only mineral commonly included in the three standards. The proportions of recommended daily intakes as reference values for each nutrient differed among the countries. Japan differentiated the proportions among 33%, 40%, or 50%, reflecting the target students' intake status of the respective nutrients. Taiwan differentiated either two-fifths or one-third of the recommended daily intakes. South Korea applied the proportion of recommended daily intake as one-third for all selected nutrients. This study could be valuable information for countries in developing nutrient-based standards for school lunches and for South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan in the process of reforming nutrient-based standards.

  6. Neonatal outcomes of extremely preterm infants from taiwan: comparison with Canada, Japan, and the USA.

    PubMed

    Su, Bai-Horng; Hsieh, Wu-Shiun; Hsu, Chyong-Hsin; Chang, Jui-Hsing; Lien, Reyin; Lin, Chyi-Her

    2015-02-01

    This study compared the current trend in survival rates and morbidity for very low birth weight (VLBW) infants in five Medical Training Centers of Prematurity for the Premature Baby Foundation of Taiwan (PBFT), with the outcomes from the USA, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network (NICHD NRN), the Canadian Neonatal Network (CNN), and the Neonatal Research Network of Japan (NRNJ). The survival rates of VLBW infants according to gestational age (GA) and major morbidities were compared between networks (Taiwan, USA, Canada, and Japan). Taiwanese data for VLBW infants of GA ≤28 weeks between 2007 and 2012 were obtained from the "PBFT Annual Conferences of Premature Care" reports defining survival rate as neonates that survived to the time of discharge. Major morbidities included severe neurological injury (Grade 3 or 4 intraventricular hemorrhage or periventricular leukomalacia), bronchopulmonary dysplasia, severe retinopathy of prematurity, necrotizing enterocolitis, late-onset sepsis, and patent ductus arteriosus. The survival rates of VLBW infants of GA ≤28 weeks from the PBFT (Taiwan), NICHD NRN (USA), CNN (Canada), and NRNJ (Japan) were 77% (1323/1718), 72% (6859/9575), 82% (2353/2872), and 89% (4489/5069), respectively. The annual survival rates in Taiwan from 2007 to 2012 were 72%, 76%, 76%, 74%, 77%, and 78%, respectively. When GA from ≤23 weeks to 28 weeks was assessed in Taiwan, the survival rates of VLBW infants according to each week were 22%, 50%, 70%, 80%, 88%, and 92%, respectively. The survival rate, especially at lower GAs, was highest in the NRNJ (Japan). The major difference between Taiwan and Japan was attributed to the lower survival rates at lower GA (≤26 weeks) in Taiwan. Japan had the lowest rates of major morbidities among the four countries. The survival rate of VLBW infants has improved over the past 6 years in Taiwan. It is higher than the USA, but lower than Canada and Japan. However, the

  7. 75 FR 76025 - Stainless Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings From Japan, Korea, and Taiwan

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-12-07

    ... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [Investigation Nos. 731-TA-376 and 563-564 (Third Review)] Stainless Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings From Japan, Korea, and Taiwan AGENCY: United States International... steel butt-weld pipe fittings from Japan, Korea, and Taiwan would be likely to lead to continuation or...

  8. 78 FR 73562 - Non-Oriented Electrical Steel From China, Germany, Japan, Korea, Sweden, and Taiwan; Determinations

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-12-06

    ... (Preliminary)] Non-Oriented Electrical Steel From China, Germany, Japan, Korea, Sweden, and Taiwan... industry in the United States is materially injured by reason of imports from China, Germany, Japan, Korea... Taiwan and LTFV imports of non-oriented electrical steel from China, Germany, Japan, Korea, Sweden, and...

  9. 76 FR 46323 - Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip From Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Taiwan

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-02

    ...)] Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip From Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Taiwan Determination On the... antidumping duty orders on stainless steel sheet and strip from Japan, Korea, and Taiwan \\3\\ would be likely... Commissioner Daniel R. Pearson dissenting with respect to stainless steel sheet and strip from Japan, Korea...

  10. A comparison of motivations between island tourists visiting Penghu, Taiwan, and Phuket, Thailand

    Treesearch

    Chi-Ming Hsieh; Sung Hee Park

    2009-01-01

    The island tourism market is a major growth segment in international tourism. The islands of Penghu, Taiwan, and Phuket, Thailand have become major tourism destinations for Taiwanese tourists, who have had an economic impact on the local communities of these islands. The objectives of this study were to develop a profile of Taiwanese tourists visiting Penghu and Phuket...

  11. Occurrences and behavior of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in several wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Japan and Thailand.

    PubMed

    Shivakoti, Binaya Raj; Tanaka, Shuhei; Fujii, Shigeo; Kunacheva, Chinagarn; Boontanon, Suwanna Kitpati; Musirat, Chanatip; Seneviratne, S T M L D; Tanaka, Hiroaki

    2010-06-01

    This study examines occurrences of 11 perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in several wastewater treatment plants in Japan and Thailand. Surveys are conducted in eight wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Japan and central WWTPs of five industrial estates (IEs) in Thailand. Samples are collected from all major treatment processes in order to understand the behavior of PFCs in WWTPs. PFCs are detected in all WWTPs in Japan and Thailand. Concentrations of PFCs even exceed several thousands ng/L in some WWTPs. PFOS, PFOA, and PFNA are mainly detected in WWTPs in Japan, while PFBuS, PFOA, and PFHxA are mainly detected in WWTP of IEs in Thailand. Even though some of the investigated WWTPs utilize biological treatment processes coupled with chlorination, ozonation, or activated carbon adsorption, they are found ineffective to remove PFCs. During the treatment process, PFCs are found to accumulate at exceptionally high concentration levels in the activated sludge of an aeration tank and returned activated sludge. Overall, the estimated total daily mass of discharged PFCs is 124.95 g/d (PFASs: 49.81 g/d; PFCAs: 75.14 g/d) from eight WWTPs in Japan and 55.04 g/d (PFASs: 12 g/d; PFCAs: 43.04 g/d) from five WWTPs in Thailand. Although the presented data are from a single observation in each WWTP, the results indicate that certain industries using PFCs in manufacturing processes could be the principle point source, while domestic activities could be releasing PFCs at detectable levels causing environmental concern.

  12. Millennial-scale variability in vegetation records from the East Asian Islands: Taiwan, Japan and Sakhalin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Takahara, Hikaru; Igarashi, Yaeko; Hayashi, Ryoma; Kumon, Fujio; Liew, Ping-Mei; Yamamoto, Masanobu; Kawai, Sayuri; Oba, Tadamichi; Irino, Tomohisa

    2010-10-01

    High-resolution pollen records from Taiwan, Japan and Sakhalin document regional vegetation changes during Dansgaard-Oeschger (D-O) cycles during the last glacial. During the period from the cold phase (GS 18/19) to warm phase (D-O 19), the biome shift from temperate conifer forest to cold/cool conifer forest in Japan and from subtropical forest to temperate deciduous/conifer forest in Taiwan. The vegetation in D-O 17, cool mixed forest in central Japan, temperate deciduous broadleaf forest in western Japan and subtropical forest in Taiwan, indicates warm condition but not wet in all area. These vegetation changes lead to biome shift from MIS (Marine Isotope Stage) 4 to MIS 3. The abundance of Cryptomeria japonica and Fagus crenata in D-O 12 and D-O 8 indicates wet conditions brought by the strong summer monsoon through the Islands and high snowfall brought by the inflow of the Tsushima Warm Current into the Sea of Japan. The registration of other D-O warming events in MIS 3, although reflected by shifts in the abundance of key species, is not sufficient to produce changes in biomes. Development of cold deciduous forest in HS (Heinrich events) 1 in Sakhalin, Hokkaido and central Japan was conspicuous and was much larger than that in YD. Vegetation response in YD was small scale and within the same biome in the East Asian Islands. In D-O 1 at the termination of the last glacial, the same taxa that developed in the early Holocene, cold evergreen needleleaf trees in northern region, temperate deciduous broadleaf trees in central and western Japan, and warm-temperate evergreen trees in Taiwan, increased.

  13. Environmental impact assessment system in Thailand and its comparison with those in China and Japan

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

    Suwanteep, Kultip, E-mail: suwanteep.k.aa@m.titech.ac.jp; Murayama, Takehiko; Nishikizawa, Shigeo

    This paper aims to find ways to streamline the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) system in Thailand to increase its effectiveness by comparative analysis with China and Japan. This study is mainly focused on review, update and comparison of EIA systems between these three countries. It is intended to clarify fundamental information of the EIA systems and characteristics of the key elements of EIA processes (screening, consideration of alternatives, prediction or evaluation of impact, and public participation). Moreover, the number of the EIA projects that have been implemented in all the provinces in Thailand are presented. The results identified the similaritiesmore » and differences of the EIA processes among the three aforementioned countries. The type of EIA report used in Thailand, unlike those in China and Japan, is an Environmental and Health Impact Assessment (EHIA), which is concerned with the health and environmental impacts that could occur from the project. In addition, EIA reports in Thailand are made available to the public online and the shortcomings of the process have details of barriers resulting from the projects to help future projects with reconsideration and improvements. In this study, it is pointed out that Thai's EIA system still lacks local EIA authority which needs to be empowered by implementing a set of laws or ordinance. - Highlights: • Reviewed current EIA procedures in Thailand, Japan and China • The EIA database is getting improved so as to generate profile of EIAs in the past. • Thailand needs to empower the local EIA authority within the EIA system. • The potential impacts should be more concerned than their scale in Japanese EIA. • Time limits and transparency should be reconsidered in China's EIA system.« less

  14. 75 FR 32503 - Stainless Steel Wire Rod From Italy, Japan, Korea, Spain, and Taiwan

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-08

    ...)] Stainless Steel Wire Rod From Italy, Japan, Korea, Spain, and Taiwan Determinations On the basis of the... revocation of the antidumping duty orders on stainless steel wire rod from Italy, Japan, Korea, Spain, and... USITC Publication 4154 (May 2010), entitled Stainless Steel Wire Rod from Italy, Japan, Korea, Spain...

  15. 75 FR 34424 - Stainless Steel Wire Rod from Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Spain, and Taiwan...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-17

    ...-807, A-583-828] Stainless Steel Wire Rod from Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Spain, and Taiwan... stainless steel wire rod (SSWR) from Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea (Korea), Spain, and Taiwan would... magnitude of the margins likely to prevail should the orders be revoked. See Stainless Steel Wire Rod From...

  16. Personality and Participation in a Japan-Taiwan Online Intercultural Exchange

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kelsen, Brent; Flowers, Simeon

    2017-01-01

    This article examines personality and participation in an online intercultural exchange (OIE) between 57 university students in Japan (n = 28) and Taiwan (n = 29). The two-month OIE used Facebook (FB) as the medium of communication. During the online exchange, participants communicated linguistically using English as their common language and…

  17. A Comparison of Telecollaborative Classes between Japan and Asian-Pacific Countries--Asian-Pacific Exchange Collaboration (APEC) Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shimizu, Yoshihiko; Pack, Dwayne; Kano, Mikio; Okazaki, Hiroyuki; Yamamura, Hiroto

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this report is to compare the effects of "telecollaborative classes" between students in Japan and those in Asian-Pacific countries such as Taiwan, Thailand, and the United States (Hawaii). The telecollaborative classes are part of the Asian-Pacific Exchange Collaboration (APEC) project, a 4-year project involving students…

  18. Healthcare Databases in Thailand and Japan: Potential Sources for Health Technology Assessment Research.

    PubMed

    Saokaew, Surasak; Sugimoto, Takashi; Kamae, Isao; Pratoomsoot, Chayanin; Chaiyakunapruk, Nathorn

    2015-01-01

    Health technology assessment (HTA) has been continuously used for value-based healthcare decisions over the last decade. Healthcare databases represent an important source of information for HTA, which has seen a surge in use in Western countries. Although HTA agencies have been established in Asia-Pacific region, application and understanding of healthcare databases for HTA is rather limited. Thus, we reviewed existing databases to assess their potential for HTA in Thailand where HTA has been used officially and Japan where HTA is going to be officially introduced. Existing healthcare databases in Thailand and Japan were compiled and reviewed. Databases' characteristics e.g. name of database, host, scope/objective, time/sample size, design, data collection method, population/sample, and variables were described. Databases were assessed for its potential HTA use in terms of safety/efficacy/effectiveness, social/ethical, organization/professional, economic, and epidemiological domains. Request route for each database was also provided. Forty databases- 20 from Thailand and 20 from Japan-were included. These comprised of national censuses, surveys, registries, administrative data, and claimed databases. All databases were potentially used for epidemiological studies. In addition, data on mortality, morbidity, disability, adverse events, quality of life, service/technology utilization, length of stay, and economics were also found in some databases. However, access to patient-level data was limited since information about the databases was not available on public sources. Our findings have shown that existing databases provided valuable information for HTA research with limitation on accessibility. Mutual dialogue on healthcare database development and usage for HTA among Asia-Pacific region is needed.

  19. Techno-politics of genomic nationalism: tracing genomics and its use in drug regulation in Japan and Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Kuo, Wen-Hua

    2011-10-01

    This paper compares the development of genomics as a form of state project in Japan and Taiwan. Broadening the concepts of genomic sovereignty and bionationalism, I argue that the establishment and use of genomic databases vary according to techno-political context. While both Japan and Taiwan hold population-based databases to be necessary for scientific advance and competitiveness, they differ in how they have attempted to transform the information produced by databases into regulatory schemes for drug approval. The effectiveness of Taiwan's biobank is severely limited by the IRB reviewing process. By contrast, while updating its regulations for drug approval, Japan, is using pharmacogenomics to deal with matters relating to ethnic identity. By analysing genomic initiatives in the political context that nurtures them, this paper seeks to capture how global science and local societies interact and offers insight into the assessment of state-sponsored science in East Asia as they become transnational. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Issues in Education in Asia and the Pacific: An International Perspective. OECD Documents. Conference Proceedings (Hiroshima, Japan, October 7-9, 1992).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hughes, Phillip; Renwick, William

    This document reports on the first international conference in Japan in October 1992 to open up a dialogue among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries and the Dynamic Asian Economies (DAEs) of Hong Kong, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore. Experts from each of the DAEs attended the…

  1. Detection of infectious bronchitis virus strains similar to Japan in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Tsai, Cheng-Ta; Tsai, Hsin-Fu; Wang, Ching-Ho

    2016-06-01

    A total of 1,320 tracheal samples from 66 broiler flocks sent to slaughterhouses and 42 tracheal samples from 42 flocks of local chickens in the field were collected for infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) gene detection by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction using nucleocapsid-specific primers and spike-specific primers. Prevalence in broiler flocks was 39.4% (26/66) and in local chicken flocks was 11.9% (5/42). Several IBVs similar to Japan were detected in Taiwan. One-direction neutralization revealed that the reference antisera did not offer protection against the IBVs similar to those from Japan.

  2. Effects of School Principals' Leadership Behaviors: A Comparison between Taiwan and Japan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Yi-Gean; Cheng, Jao-Nan; Sato, Mikio

    2017-01-01

    This study is a cross-national research in school leadership behaviors. Research subjects in this study include primary and secondary school teachers in Taiwan and northeastern Japan. By referring to "School leadership of the future," this study summarized that school leadership is working toward a team approach to instruction…

  3. Lifelong Learning Policy for the Elderly People: A Comparative Experience between Japan and Thailand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dhirathiti, Nopraenue

    2014-01-01

    This study examined and compared the legal inputs, structural settings and implementation process of lifelong learning policy in Thailand and Japan focusing on street-level agents. The findings demonstrated that while both countries had legal frameworks that provided a legislative platform to promote lifelong learning among the elderly based on a…

  4. A Comparison of Occupational Programs in Comprehensive High Schools in the U.S.A., Japan and Taiwan.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Lung-Sheng

    American-style comprehensive high school (CHS) systems were started in Japan and Taiwan in 1994 and 1996, respectively. Most CHSs in Taiwan were transformed from senior vocational schools, whereas others were changed from senior high schools or newly founded. To assist these schools in successfully restructuring or designing new programs, a…

  5. Isawa Shuji, Nineteenth-Century Administrator and Music Educator in Japan and Taiwan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Howe, Sondra Wieland; Lai, Mei-Ling; Liou, Lin-Yu

    2014-01-01

    Isawa Shuji studied in the United States and made major contributions to the development of the music education in Japan and Taiwan. This paper provides a perspective of Isawa's activities based on sources in Japanese, Chinese, and English. Isawa was familiar with Western education and music before he went to the United States. In Massachusetts,…

  6. 78 FR 52213 - Certain Oil Country Tubular Goods From India, Korea, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-08-22

    ..., Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, and Vietnam: Determinations On the basis of the record \\1\\ developed in the... reason of imports from India, Korea, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine..., Korea, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, and Vietnam. Accordingly...

  7. Healthcare Databases in Thailand and Japan: Potential Sources for Health Technology Assessment Research

    PubMed Central

    Saokaew, Surasak; Sugimoto, Takashi; Kamae, Isao; Pratoomsoot, Chayanin; Chaiyakunapruk, Nathorn

    2015-01-01

    Background Health technology assessment (HTA) has been continuously used for value-based healthcare decisions over the last decade. Healthcare databases represent an important source of information for HTA, which has seen a surge in use in Western countries. Although HTA agencies have been established in Asia-Pacific region, application and understanding of healthcare databases for HTA is rather limited. Thus, we reviewed existing databases to assess their potential for HTA in Thailand where HTA has been used officially and Japan where HTA is going to be officially introduced. Method Existing healthcare databases in Thailand and Japan were compiled and reviewed. Databases’ characteristics e.g. name of database, host, scope/objective, time/sample size, design, data collection method, population/sample, and variables were described. Databases were assessed for its potential HTA use in terms of safety/efficacy/effectiveness, social/ethical, organization/professional, economic, and epidemiological domains. Request route for each database was also provided. Results Forty databases– 20 from Thailand and 20 from Japan—were included. These comprised of national censuses, surveys, registries, administrative data, and claimed databases. All databases were potentially used for epidemiological studies. In addition, data on mortality, morbidity, disability, adverse events, quality of life, service/technology utilization, length of stay, and economics were also found in some databases. However, access to patient-level data was limited since information about the databases was not available on public sources. Conclusion Our findings have shown that existing databases provided valuable information for HTA research with limitation on accessibility. Mutual dialogue on healthcare database development and usage for HTA among Asia-Pacific region is needed. PMID:26560127

  8. Radioactivity inspection of Taiwan for food products imported from Japan after the Fukushima nuclear accident.

    PubMed

    Chiu, Huang-Sheng; Huang, Ping-Ji; Wuu, Jyi-Lan; Wang, Jeng-Jong

    2013-11-01

    The 3-11 Earthquake occurred in Japan last year had greatly damaged the lives and properties and also caused the core meltdown accident in the Fukushima nuclear power plant followed by the leakage of radioactive materials into biosphere. In order to protect against the detriment of radiation from foods which were imported from Japan, the Institute of Nuclear Energy Research (INER) in Taiwan started to conduct radioactivity inspection of food products from Japan after the accident. A total of about 20,000 samples had been tested from March 24 2011 to March 31 2012. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. [Information on student counseling center websites in Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Taiwan].

    PubMed

    Ito, Naoki

    2017-04-01

    This study aimed to compare information provided on student counseling center websites of universities and colleges in Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Taiwan. A survey was conducted on websites of 315 centers in Japan, 282 centers in the United States, 70 centers in the United Kingdom and 61 centers in Taiwan. Trends in the provision of information on websites in each country were analyzed and compared for the rate and quantity of information published. Results of multiple correspondence analyses indicated two basic dimensions of information that could effectively distinguish information provided in the four countries. These were provision of necessary information and provision of information for use of individual counseling or support of community. Finally, issues related to websites in student counseling centers of Japanese universities and colleges are discussed.

  10. Comparative Study on the Education System of Traditional Medicine in China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Park, Yu Lee; Huang, Ching Wen; Sasaki, Yui; Ko, Youme; Park, Sunju; Ko, Seong-Gyu

    2016-01-01

    China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan have developed modernized education systems in traditional medicine. This study aims to provide an overview of the education systems in these countries and compare them. Data were collected through the websites of government agencies, universities, and relevant organizations. These countries have systemically developed basic medical education (BME), postgraduate medical education (PGME), and continuing medical education (CME) in traditional medicine. BME is provided at colleges of traditional medicine at the undergraduate level and graduate levels. The length of education at the undergraduate level is five, six, and seven years in China, Korea, and Taiwan, respectively; the length at the graduate level is four years in Korea and five years in Taiwan. A seven- or eight-year program combining undergraduate and graduate courses is unique to China. In Japan, unlike in other countries, there are two distinct education systems-one is comprised of courses on traditional medicine included in the curriculum for Western medical doctors, and the other is a three- or four-year undergraduate program for practitioners including acupuncturists and moxibustionists. PGME in Korea consists of one-year internship and three-year residency programs which are optional; however, in China and Taiwan, internship is required for the national licensing examination and further training is in the process of standardization. The required credits for maintenance of CME are eight per year in Korea, 25 per year in China, and 180 over six years in Taiwan. The design of the educational systems in these countries can provide useful information for the development of education in traditional medicine around the world. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  11. Making the Grade in Mathematics: Elementary School Mathematics in the United States, Taiwan, and Japan.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stevenson, Harold W.; And Others

    Over the last decade, it has been reported that American students lag behind their Asian counterparts as early as the first grade. This study investigated variables influencing elementary school students' mathematics achievement in Japan, Taiwan, and America. Children's mathematics achievement and cognitive abilities were tested. Children,…

  12. Bridging the Strait: Implications for Japan and the United States Following a Peaceful Reunification of China and Taiwan

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-12-01

    8 C . CHINA AND JAPAN ....................................................................................10 D. JAPAN AND THE UNITED STATES... C . Bush, Untying the Knot: Making Peace in the Taiwan Strait. (Washington, D.C.: The Brookings Institute, 2005), 36. 8 Richard Stubbs, Rethinking...Asia’s Economic Miracle , (Houndsmill, England: Plagrave McMillan, 2005), 31-32. 3 Under the “one China, two systems” policy, Taipei would accept that

  13. Under-recognized pertussis in adults from Asian countries: a cross-sectional seroprevalence study in Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand.

    PubMed

    Koh, M T; Liu, C-S; Chiu, C-H; Boonsawat, W; Watanaveeradej, V; Abdullah, N; Zhang, Xh; Devadiga, R; Chen, J

    2016-04-01

    Surveillance data on the burden of pertussis in Asian adults are limited. This cross-sectional study evaluated the prevalence of serologically confirmed pertussis in adults with prolonged cough in Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand. Adults (⩾19 years) with cough lasting for ⩾14 days without other known underlying cause were enrolled from outpatient clinics of seven public and/or private hospitals. Single blood samples for anti-pertussis toxin antibodies (anti-PT IgG) were analysed and economic impact and health-related quality of life (EQ-5D) questionnaires assessed. Sixteen (5·13%) of the 312 chronically coughing adults had serological evidence of pertussis infection within the previous 12 months (anti-PT IgG titre ⩾62·5 IU/ml). Three of them were teachers. Longer duration of cough, paroxysms (75% seroconfirmed, 48% non-seroconfirmed) and breathlessness/chest pain (63% seroconfirmed, 36% non-seroconfirmed) were associated with pertussis (P < 0·04). Of the seroconfirmed patients, the median total direct medical cost per pertussis episode in public hospitals (including physician consultations and/or emergency room visits) was US$13 in Malaysia, US$83 in Taiwan (n = 1) and US$26 in Thailand. The overall median EQ-5D index score of cases was 0·72 (range 0·42-1·00). Pertussis should be considered in the aetiology of adults with a prolonged or paroxysmal cough, and vaccination programmes considered.

  14. Origins of Semisulcospira libertina (gastropoda: semisulcospiridae) in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Chiu, Yuh-Wen; Bor, Hor; Kuo, Po-Hsun; Hsu, Kui-Ching; Tan, Mian-Shin; Wang, Wei-Kuang; Lin, Hung-Du

    2017-07-01

    The most accepted hypothesis has suggested that the fauna in Taiwan Island originated from South China, but some studies supported the Japan, Ryukyu Archipelago, and Taiwan Islands as a unique biogeographical district. This study examines whether the populations of freshwater snail Semisulcospira libertina in Taiwan are closer to those in Japan based on the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequences. Our study shows the populations in North Taiwan originated from Japan and the cyclic glacial caused the migrations among islands and continent repeatedly; the populations in South Taiwan might originate from South China or South Asia. Our results will not only affect the conclusions in phylogeography of freshwater species in Taiwan but also change the sampling plans in the future studies about evolutionary of freshwater species in East Asia.

  15. Identifying Vulnerable Populations Using a Social Determinants of Health Framework: Analysis of National Survey Data across Six Asia-Pacific Countries

    PubMed Central

    Ward, Paul R.; Mamerow, Loreen; Meyer, Samantha B.

    2013-01-01

    Background In order to improve the health of the most vulnerable groups in society, the WHO called for research on the multiple and inter-linking factors shaping the social determinants of health (SDH). This paper analyses four key SDH (social cohesion, social inclusion, social empowerment and socioeconomic security) across six Asia-Pacific countries: Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. Methods Population surveys were undertaken using a validated instrument in 2009-10, with sample sizes around 1000 in each country. The four SDH were analysed using multivariate binomial logistic regression to identify socio-demographic predictors in each country. Results Low socio-economic security was associated with low income in all six study countries and with poor subjective health in Japan, South Korea and Thailand and with being married or cohabiting in Australia and Hong Kong. Low social cohesion was associated with low income in all countries and with undertaking household duties in South Korea, Thailand and Taiwan. Low social inclusion was associated with low income in Australia, South Korea and Taiwan and with poor subjective health in Australia, Japan and South Korea. Older people had lower social inclusion in Taiwan (50-59 years) and Hong Kong (retired), younger people in Japan and South Korea (20-29 years in both countries) and younger and middle-aged people in Australia. Low social empowerment was associated with low income in Australia, Thailand and Taiwan, with being aged 60 years or over in Australia, Hong Kong and South Korea, and over 50 years in Thailand. Conclusions This paper provides baseline measures for identifying where and how policy should be altered to improve the SDH. Furthermore, these data can be used for future policy evaluation to identify whether changes in policy have indeed improved the SDH, particularly for marginalised and vulnerable populations. PMID:24349417

  16. Identity Exploration, Commitment, and Distress: A Cross National Investigation in China, Taiwan, Japan, and the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berman, Steven L.; You, Yu-Fang; Schwartz, Seth; Teo, Grace; Mochizuki, Kohei

    2011-01-01

    This study tested cross cultural measurement equivalence of three identity constructs by testing the factor invariance among participants from four nations. Data from measures of identity exploration, commitment, and distress were collected from university students in Mainland China (n = 85), Taiwan (n = 117), Japan (n = 117), and the United…

  17. Depression and subjective economy among elderly people in Asian communities: Japan, Taiwan, and Korea.

    PubMed

    Imai, Hissei; Chen, Wen-ling; Fukutomi, Eriko; Okumiya, Kiyohito; Wada, Taizo; Sakamoto, Ryota; Fujisawa, Michiko; Ishimoto, Yasuko; Kimura, Yumi; Chang, Chia-Ming; Matsubayashi, Kozo

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this study is to investigate the cross-cultural relationship between depressive state and subjective economic status, as well as subjective quality of life (QOL) and activities of daily living (ADL) among elderly people in communities in Japan, Taiwan, and Korea. We studied 595 subjects aged 65 years or older in three Asian communities (261 subjects in T town in Japan, 164 in D town in Taiwan, and 170 in H town in Korea). The Geriatric Depression Scale-15, a self-rating questionnaire assessing ADL, subjective QOL, social situations, and past and current medical status, was used. Depression of the elderly was associated with dependence in basic ADL, subjective QOL, and subjective sense of low economic status. After adjusting for the effects of age, sex, and basic ADL, subjective sense of low economic status was closely associated with depression in community-living elderly people in all three communities in Asia. In conclusion, absolute and objective economic status is an important contributing factor to depressive state or psychosocial deterioration, however, we should pay more attention to the roles of perception of low economic status in determining depressive state in community-dwelling elderly people. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Intimate partner violence-related experiences and mental health among college students in Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Kamimura, Akiko; Nourian, Maziar M; Assasnik, Nushean; Franchek-Roa, Kathy

    2016-05-01

    Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health threat that contributes to a wide range of mental and physical health problems for victims. The purpose of this study was to examine IPV-related experiences and mental health outcomes among college students in Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. The data were obtained from the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR), the International Dating Violence Study (IDVS) 2001-2006 (ICPSR 29583; N = 981; Japan n = 207; Singapore n = 260; South Korea n = 256; Taiwan n = 258). Co-experience of physical IPV victimization and perpetration was associated with borderline personality traits and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but not with depression. Childhood sexual abuse, gender hostility and violence socialization were significant predictors of borderline personality traits, depression and PTSD. While country and gender variations in mental health are noted, there are two specific populations that may need special attention for mental health interventions: Taiwanese women especially for borderline personality traits and PTSD, and Japanese men especially for depression. IPV victimization and perpetration, childhood sexual abuse, gender hostility and violence socialization have a significant impact on the mental health of college students in Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. Since IPV and mental health are significant public health issues, research on IPV and mental health consequences of IPV victimization and perpetration in these countries should be further expanded in order to better understand the interventions that will be effective in treating victims, perpetrators and victim/perpetrators of IPV. © The Author(s) 2016.

  19. Situation Report--Ghana, Guyana, India, Japan, Kenya, Khmer Republic, Nepal, Niger, Republic of Vietnam, Senegal, Thailand, and Trinidad and Tobago.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    International Planned Parenthood Federation, London (England).

    Data relating to population and family planning in twelve foreign countries are presented in these situation reports. Countries included are Ghana, Guyana, India, Japan, Kenya, Khmer Republic, Nepal, Niger, Republic of Vietnam, Senegal, Thailand, and Trinidad and Tobago. Information is provided under two topics, general background and family…

  20. Disease patterns of outpatient visits by Japanese expatriate children in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Sakai, Rie; Wongkhomthong, Som-arch; Marui, Eiji

    2009-03-01

    To clarify the health-related conditions of Japanese expatriate children in Thailand. Records of Japanese children who consulted outpatient clinics at Bangkok Hospital in 2005 and 2006 (n = 2141) were analysed, and then compared with data from the patient survey conducted by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan in 2005 (n = 575 400). 'diseases of the respiratory system', categorized as chapter X under ICD-10 was the most frequent category in both Thailand and Japan. Although 'certain infectious and parasitic diseases' (chapter I) was the second most frequent category in Thailand, it was infrequent in Japan. In the subcategories of 'diseases of the respiratory system', 'acute upper respiratory infections' was frequent and asthma was infrequent in Thailand. Conversely, 'acute upper respiratory infections' showed a low percentage and asthma was the most frequently observed disease in Japan. This study examined Japanese children having the same genetic background but divided into two groups according to different living environments. Results demonstrate that children living in Japan contract asthma more frequently than infectious diseases, whereas those living in Thailand show the opposite trend, which supports the hygiene hypothesis that infections may protect against the development of allergic diseases, such as asthma.

  1. Bibliometric analysis of scientific publications in transplantation journals from Mainland China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan between 2006 and 2015.

    PubMed

    Pu, Qiang-Hong; Lyu, Qiu-Ju; Su, Huai-Yu

    2016-08-03

    The aim of this study is to compare the quantity and quality of scientific publications in transplantation fields that were written by researchers from Mainland China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan in the East Asia region. East Asia. Articles except editorials, conference abstracts, letters, news and corrections published in 25 transplantation journals from 2006 to 2015 were screened with the Web of Science database. The number of total and annual articles, article types (study design and transplantation site), impact factor, citations and articles in the high-impact journals was determined to assess the quantity and quality of transplantation research from East Asia. The correlation of socioeconomic factors and annual publications was also analysed. From 2006 to 2015, there were 47 141 articles published in transplantation journals, of which researchers from Japan published 3694 articles, followed by Mainland China, South Korea and Taiwan with 2778, 1643 and 951 articles, respectively. Similar trends were observed in accumulated impact factor, accumulated citations, articles in the high-impact journals and articles on transplantation site. Publications from Japan had the highest average impact factor and citation, while those from Mainland China had the lowest. Additionally, in terms of study design, authors from Mainland China contributed to most clinical trials and randomised controlled trials, but authors from Japan contributed to most case reports. The annual numbers of articles from Mainland China and South Korea increased linearly (p<0.05), but those from Japan and Taiwan remained stable for the period studied. The annual numbers of articles from Mainland China and South Korea were positively correlated with gross domestic product (p<0.05). Transplantation research productivity in East Asia is highly skewed, with gross domestic product having a significant positive correlation. Mainland China still lags far behind Japan in most bibliometric indicators

  2. Bibliometric analysis of scientific publications in transplantation journals from Mainland China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan between 2006 and 2015

    PubMed Central

    Lyu, Qiu-Ju; Su, Huai-Yu

    2016-01-01

    Objectives The aim of this study is to compare the quantity and quality of scientific publications in transplantation fields that were written by researchers from Mainland China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan in the East Asia region. Settings East Asia. Participants and outcome measures Articles except editorials, conference abstracts, letters, news and corrections published in 25 transplantation journals from 2006 to 2015 were screened with the Web of Science database. The number of total and annual articles, article types (study design and transplantation site), impact factor, citations and articles in the high-impact journals was determined to assess the quantity and quality of transplantation research from East Asia. The correlation of socioeconomic factors and annual publications was also analysed. Results From 2006 to 2015, there were 47 141 articles published in transplantation journals, of which researchers from Japan published 3694 articles, followed by Mainland China, South Korea and Taiwan with 2778, 1643 and 951 articles, respectively. Similar trends were observed in accumulated impact factor, accumulated citations, articles in the high-impact journals and articles on transplantation site. Publications from Japan had the highest average impact factor and citation, while those from Mainland China had the lowest. Additionally, in terms of study design, authors from Mainland China contributed to most clinical trials and randomised controlled trials, but authors from Japan contributed to most case reports. The annual numbers of articles from Mainland China and South Korea increased linearly (p<0.05), but those from Japan and Taiwan remained stable for the period studied. The annual numbers of articles from Mainland China and South Korea were positively correlated with gross domestic product (p<0.05). Conclusions Transplantation research productivity in East Asia is highly skewed, with gross domestic product having a significant positive correlation

  3. Review of the mirine plant bug genus Eurystylus Stål from Japan and Taiwan (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Mirinae), with descriptions of two new species, a new synonymy and a new combination.

    PubMed

    Yasunaga, Tomohide; Nakatani, Yukinobu; Chérot, Frédéric

    2017-02-03

    Species of the Old World mirine plant bug genus Eurystylus Stål (the Head Bugs) in Japan and Taiwan are reviewed. Four species are currently recognized. Two new species are diagnosed and described: E. ryukyus n. sp. (from SW Japan and Taiwan) and E. jingfui n. sp. (Taiwan). Two known species, E. coelestialium (Kirkaldy) and E. sauteri Poppius, are diagnosed; new distributional records are added for the latter. Two keys are provided to aid the identifications of (1) Eurystylus and four related genera and (2) the species of Eurystylus known from Japan and Taiwan. The phylogenetic relationships of Eurystylus with the assumed related genera are discussed. Eurystylomorpha Poppius is synonymized with Eurystylopsis Poppius, and a new combination, Eurystylopsis crassicornis (Poppius), is accordingly proposed.

  4. A cross-cultural comparison of hospice development in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Glass, Anne P; Chen, Li-Kuang; Hwang, Eunju; Ono, Yuzuho; Nahapetyan, Lusine

    2010-03-01

    By 2050, one out of four people in Eastern Asia will be aged 65 and above. Thus, preparing to care for an older population is imperative. Addressing quality care for elders includes consideration of palliative and end-of-life care. A comparative study of the development of hospice and palliative care services in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, is presented, based on an extensive literature review. Both commonalities and differences were found. This article provides information on the origins and administration of hospice services in these three cases, as well as the degree of government involvement. Cultural and religious aspects are also considered, and obstacles to the spread of hospice services are discussed. This review compares experiences with hospice services and identifies factors that influence people's perceptions and adoption of hospice. Stronger financial support for hospice and palliative care through the government and insurance programs would help increase the availability and use of services. Also, the need for continuing education of healthcare providers, patients, families, and the community is urgent. However, promotion of understanding of better pain management and the worth of hospice and palliative care must be conducted in ways that are sensitive to the cultural values and traditions in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. Only when hospice and palliative care can be viewed as an admirable choice for one's loved ones, overcoming issues of truth telling, filial piety, worries about how one is judged, and religious considerations, will it become more widely accepted.

  5. Revision of the subgenus Tinotus Sharp, stat. n., of the parasitoid rove-beetle genus Aleochara Gravenhorst (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae) from Japan, Taiwan, and the Russian Far East

    PubMed Central

    Yamamoto, Shûhei; Maruyama, Munetoshi

    2016-01-01

    Abstract The subgenus Tinotus Sharp, 1833, stat. n., of the genus Aleochara Gravenhorst, 1802 (Aleocharini: Aleocharina) from Japan, Taiwan, and the Russian Far East is revised. Tinotus is a new record from the latter two regions. Three species are recognized: Aleochara (Tinotus) morion Gravenhorst, 1802, comb. n. [Japan (new record), the Russian Far East (new record)], Aleochara (Tinotus) eoa nom. n. [replacement name for Tinotus japonicus Cameron, 1933; Japan, Taiwan (new record)], and Aleochara (Tinotus) takashii sp. n. (central Honshû, Japan). The systematic position of Tinotus is discussed. All species are (re-)described, keyed, and figured. A world checklist of Tinotus species, comprising 40 valid species, is provided in an appendix. Additional taxonomic changes are proposed, including a new synonymy, a revalidation, 13 new replacement names, and 27 new combinations. PMID:27006606

  6. The "Glocalization" of Medical School Accreditation: Case Studies From Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan.

    PubMed

    Ho, Ming-Jung; Abbas, Joan; Ahn, Ducksun; Lai, Chi-Wan; Nara, Nobuo; Shaw, Kevin

    2017-12-01

    In an age of globalized medical education, medical school accreditation has been hailed as an approach to external quality assurance. However, accreditation standards can vary widely across national contexts. To achieve recognition by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME), national accrediting bodies must develop standards suitable for both local contexts and international recognition. This study framed this issue in terms of "glocalization" and aimed to shine light on this complicated multistakeholder process by exploring accreditation in Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan. This study employed a comparative case-study design, examining the national standards that three accreditation bodies in East Asia developed using international reference standards. In 2015-2016, the authors conducted document analysis of the English versions of the standards to identify the differences between the national and international reference standards as well as how and why external standards were adapted. Each country's accreditation body sought to balance local needs with global demands. Each used external standards as a template (e.g., Liaison Committee on Medical Education, General Medical Council, or WFME standards) and either revised (Taiwan, South Korea) or annotated (Japan) the standards to fit the local context. Four categories of differences emerged to account for how and why national standards departed from external references: structural, regulatory, developmental, and aspirational. These countries' glocalization of medical accreditation standards serve as examples for others seeking to bring their accreditation practices in line with global standards while ensuring that local values and societal needs are given adequate consideration.

  7. 21 CFR 186.1555 - Japan wax.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... fruits of the oriental sumac, Rhus succedanea (Japan, Taiwan, and Indo-China), R. vernicifera (Japan), and R. trichocarpa (China, Indo-China, India, and Japan). Japan wax is soluble in hot alcohol, benzene...

  8. 21 CFR 186.1555 - Japan wax.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... fruits of the oriental sumac, Rhus succedanea (Japan, Taiwan, and Indo-China), R. vernicifera (Japan), and R. trichocarpa (China, Indo-China, India, and Japan). Japan wax is soluble in hot alcohol, benzene...

  9. 21 CFR 186.1555 - Japan wax.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... fruits of the oriental sumac, Rhus succedanea (Japan, Taiwan, and Indo-China), R. vernicifera (Japan), and R. trichocarpa (China, Indo-China, India, and Japan). Japan wax is soluble in hot alcohol, benzene...

  10. Sequence analysis of porcine kobuvirus VP1 region detected in pigs in Japan and Thailand.

    PubMed

    Okitsu, Shoko; Khamrin, Pattara; Thongprachum, Aksara; Hidaka, Satoshi; Kongkaew, Sompreeya; Kongkaew, Apisek; Maneekarn, Niwat; Mizuguchi, Masashi; Hayakawa, Satoshi; Ushijima, Hiroshi

    2012-04-01

    Porcine kobuvirus is a new candidate species of the genus Kobuvirus in the family Picornaviridae, and information is still limited. The identification of porcine kobuvirus has been performed by the sequence analyses of the 3D region of the viruses. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to characterize the molecular properties of VP1 nucleotide sequences of the porcine kobuviruses isolated from porcine stool samples in Japan during 2009 and Thailand between 2006 and 2008. In addition, previous identification of a unique porcine kobuvirus; Japanese H023/2009/JP, which is a bovine kobuvirus-like strain based on sequence analysis of the 3D region, was also included in this study. All of the strains were amplified by the VP1-specific primer pair: the amplicons were subjected to direct sequencing and compared with the VP1 nucleotide sequences of reference strains. The VP1 sequences of strains from the GenBank database revealed high nucleotide sequence identity at 84.3-100%. On the other hand, the nucleotide identities among the 15 porcine kobuvirus strains analyzed in this study ranged from 78.8 to 99.8%. The results revealed that diversity of the strains in this study were higher than those of the strains in previous studies. Furthermore, it was found that the VP1 region of the bovine kobuvirus-like strain, H023/2009/JP, clustered with nine porcine kobuvirus strains that were isolated in Thailand and Japan. Since this strain was previously found to be closely related to bovine kobuviruses in the 3D gene region, it may be a natural recombinant.

  11. The Rise of China and Its Effect on Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea: U.S. Policy Choices

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-01-13

    PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Congressional Research Service The Library of Congress 101 Independence Ave SE Washington, DC 20540-7500...8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S ACRONYM(S) 11. SPONSOR...with some alarm. In that sense, globalization and the armaments it has financed has been destabilizing — both Taiwan and Japan have had to adjust

  12. Sleep characteristics of young children in Japan: internet study and comparison with other Asian countries.

    PubMed

    Kohyama, Jun; Mindell, Jodi A; Sadeh, Avi

    2011-10-01

    A recent international Internet-based study of young children (birth to 36 months) found that total sleep duration in Japan was the shortest among 17 countries/regions. The present study compared features of children's sleep in Japan relative to those in other Asian countries/regions. Parents of 872 infants and toddlers in Japan (48.6% boys), and parents of 20 455 infants and toddlers in 11 other Asian countries/regions (48.1% boys; China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam) completed an Internet-based expanded version of the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire. Young children in Japan exhibited significantly fewer nocturnal wakings and shorter daytime sleep in comparison with other Asian countries/regions. Although the former finding was apparent in all age groups, the reduced duration of daytime sleep in Japan was not present until after 3 months of age. Interestingly, sleep problems were reported by significantly fewer parents in Japan compared with those in other Asian countries/regions, although parents in Japan reported significantly more difficulty at bedtime. The short sleep duration of young children in Japan is largely due to a relatively short duration of daytime sleep. Significant differences in sleep characteristics in Japan relative to other Asian regions were found primarily after 3 months of age. Future studies should further explore the underlying causes and the potential impacts of these sleep differences. © 2011 The Authors. Pediatrics International © 2011 Japan Pediatric Society.

  13. 21 CFR 186.1555 - Japan wax.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Japan wax. 186.1555 Section 186.1555 Food and Drugs... Substances Affirmed as GRAS § 186.1555 Japan wax. (a) Japan wax (CAS Reg. No. 8001-39-6), also known as Japan... fruits of the oriental sumac, Rhus succedanea (Japan, Taiwan, and Indo-China), R. vernicifera (Japan...

  14. Intelsat two-way time transfer experiments between Japan, Korea and Taiwan

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

    Engelkemier, B.; Imamura, K.; Takahashi, F.

    This paper describes the first two-way time transfer experiments using Intelsat Ku-band satellites in eastern Asia performed by Communications Research Laboratory (CRL: Japan), Korea Research Institute of Standard and Science (KRISS: Korea) and Telecommunication Laboratory (TL: Taiwan) in 1992. The experiments are based on the recommendation of Conference Generale des Poids et Mesures (CGPM) in 1987. Also they are based on the international cooperation program between CRL and KRISS, and institute-level cooperation between CRL and TL. The experiments attained the short-term precision better than 1 ns, which is much better than conventional GPS time transfer. Long-term precision was not somore » good as short-term one. We discuss the reasons of the long-term instabilities. We can also established the procedures to use Intelsat satellites under the support of Intelsat Headquarters and each countries` common carrier agents.« less

  15. Pathways to DRG-based hospital payment systems in Japan, Korea, and Thailand.

    PubMed

    Annear, Peter Leslie; Kwon, Soonman; Lorenzoni, Luca; Duckett, Stephen; Huntington, Dale; Langenbrunner, John C; Murakami, Yuki; Shon, Changwoo; Xu, Ke

    2018-05-07

    Countries in Asia are working towards achieving universal health coverage while ensuring improved quality of care. One element is controlling hospital costs through payment reforms. In this paper we review experiences in using Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG) based hospital payments in three Asian countries and ask if there is an "Asian way to DRGs". We focus first on technical issues and follow with a discussion of implementation challenges and policy questions. We reviewed the literature and worked as an expert team to investigate existing documentation from Japan, Republic of Korea, and Thailand. We reviewed the design of case-based payment systems, their experience with implementation, evidence about impact on service delivery, and lessons drawn for the Asian region. We found that countries must first establish adequate infrastructure, human resource capacity and information management systems. Capping of volumes and prices is sometimes essential along with a high degree of hospital autonomy. Rather than introduce a complete classification system in one stroke, these countries have phased in DRGs, in some cases with hospitals volunteering to participate as a first step (Korea), and in others using a blend of different units for hospital payment, including length of stay, and fee-for-service (Japan). Case-based payment systems are not a panacea. Their value is dependent on their design and implementation and the capacity of the health system. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. A longitudinal comparison of age patterns and rates of suicide in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan and two Western countries.

    PubMed

    Snowdon, John; Chen, Ying-Yeh; Zhong, Baoliang; Yamauchi, Takashi

    2018-01-01

    Suicide data relating to 1979-2014 were obtained from three East Asian jurisdictions (Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan) and two 'Western' countries (Australia, New Zealand). Rates and age patterns of suicide have changed markedly since 1979. Graphs of these patterns largely remained either upward-sloping, bimodal or flat (uniform) over the 36 years, male commonly differing from female, and East Asian patterns more like each other than those of the Western countries. Japan's male middle-aged suicide rate reached a peak in 1999-2003, which, like increased rates among working age males in Hong Kong and Taiwan, has been attributed largely to consequences of Asian financial crises. Male to female ratios of suicide rates have remained higher in the Western countries, but late life suicide rates have decreased to varying extents in all five jurisdictions. Identifying reasons for differences between jurisdictions in their suicide rates and patterns at particular times, and over time, is likely to point to factors (period, cohort, psychosocial or cultural) that protect against or foster suicidal ideation. This avenue of research may assist in identifying ways of preventing suicide. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  17. Does the ‘hikikomori’ syndrome of social withdrawal exist outside Japan?: A preliminary international investigation

    PubMed Central

    Kato, Takahiro A.; Tateno, Masaru; Shinfuku, Naotaka; Fujisawa, Daisuke; Teo, Alan R.; Sartorius, Norman; Akiyama, Tsuyoshi; Ishida, Tetsuya; Choi, Tae Young; Balhara, Yatan Pal Singh; Matsumoto, Ryohei; Umene-Nakano, Wakako; Fujimura, Yota; Wand, Anne; Chang, Jane Pei-Chen; Chang, Rita Yuan-Feng; Shadloo, Behrang; Ahmed, Helal Uddin; Lerthattasilp, Tiraya; Kanba, Shigenobu

    2016-01-01

    Purpose To explore whether the ‘hikikomori’ syndrome (social withdrawal) described in Japan exists in other countries, and if so, how patients with the syndrome are diagnosed and treated. Methods Two hikikomori case vignettes were sent to psychiatrists in Australia, Bangladesh, India, Iran, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and the USA. Participants rated the syndrome's prevalence in their country, etiology, diagnosis, suicide risk, and treatment. Results Out of 247 responses to the questionnaire (123 from Japan and 124 from other countries), 239 were enrolled in the analysis. Respondents’ felt the hikikomori syndrome is seen in all countries examined and especially in urban areas. Biopsychosocial, cultural, and environmental factors were all listed as probable causes of hikikomori, and differences among countries were not significant. Japanese psychiatrists suggested treatment in outpatient wards and some did not think that psychiatric treatment is necessary. Psychiatrists in other countries opted for more active treatment such as hospitalization. Conclusions Patients with the hikikomori syndrome are perceived as occurring across a variety of cultures by psychiatrists in multiple countries. Our results provide a rational basis for study of the existence and epidemiology of hikikomori in clinical or community populations in international settings. PMID:21706238

  18. The impact of nurse working hours on patient safety culture: a cross-national survey including Japan, the United States and Chinese Taiwan using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture.

    PubMed

    Wu, Yinghui; Fujita, Shigeru; Seto, Kanako; Ito, Shinya; Matsumoto, Kunichika; Huang, Chiu-Chin; Hasegawa, Tomonori

    2013-10-07

    A positive patient safety culture (PSC) is one of the most critical components to improve healthcare quality and safety. The Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPS), developed by the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, has been used to assess PSC in 31 countries. However, little is known about the impact of nurse working hours on PSC. We hypothesized that long nurse working hours would deteriorate PSC, and that the deterioration patterns would vary between countries. Moreover, the common trends observed in Japan, the US and Chinese Taiwan may be useful to improve PSC in other countries. The purpose of this study was to clarify the impact of long nurse working hours on PSC in Japan, the US, and Chinese Taiwan using HSOPS. The HSOPS questionnaire measures 12 sub-dimensions of PSC, with higher scores indicating a more positive PSC. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using a generalized linear mixed model to evaluate the impact of working hours on PSC outcome measures (patient safety grade and number of events reported). Tukey's test and Cohen's d values were used to verify the relationships between nurse working hours and the 12 sub-dimensions of PSC. Nurses working ≥60 h/week in Japan and the US had a significantly lower OR for patient safety grade than those working <40 h/week. In the three countries, nurses working ≥40 h/week had a significantly higher OR for the number of events reported. The mean score on 'staffing' was significantly lower in the ≥60-h group than in the <40-h group in all the three countries. The mean score for 'teamwork within units' was significantly lower in the ≥60-h group than in the <40-h group in Japan and Chinese Taiwan. Patient safety grade deteriorated and the number of events reported increased with long working hours. Among the 12 sub-dimensions of PSC, long working hours had an impact on 'staffing' and 'teamwork within units' in Japan, the US and Chinese Taiwan.

  19. JPRS Report East Asia Southeast Asia

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-06-03

    the Philippines and Japan experienced production problems. The Philippines lacked supplies of raw materials while Japan’s currency rose so high as...Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore Squid: Greece, Spain, the Philippines , Saudi Arabia, U.S. Clams: U.S., Canada, Malaysia, Japan, Italy, West Germany...raw material caught under joint venture fisheries enter- prises, while Thailand’s competitors like the Philippines and Taiwan remain unable to

  20. Comparison of the hospice systems in the United States, Japan and taiwan.

    PubMed

    Lee, Chung Yul; Komatsu, Hiroko; Zhang, Weihua; Chao, Yann-Fen; Kim, Ki Kyong; Kim, Gwang Suk; Cho, Yoon Hee; Ko, Ji Sook

    2010-12-01

    The aim of hospice care is to provide the best possible quality of life both for people approaching the end of life and for their families and carers. The Korean government has been implementing a pilot project for hospital hospice services and trying to develop the national hospice system. To assist in the development of the Korean hospice system, the Korean government supported the present study comparing the hospice systems of three countries, United States, Japan, and Taiwan, which currently have a developed hospice system. Data from three countries were collected in the following ways: reviewing hospice related literature, searching government documents on the Internet, collecting government hospice data, surveying six hospice institutions in each country, and conducting an international workshop. The hospice system was evaluated by comparing hospice management systems and hospice cost systems. The comparison of the hospice management system included five items of hospice infra structures and four items of hospice services. The hospice cost system included four items: funding source, hospital hospice cost, day care hospice cost, and home hospice cost. Based on the comparison of three countries, the most interesting thing was that home hospice care accounted for more than 90% of all hospice services in the United States and Taiwan. The results of this study will aid the countries that are in the process of developing a hospice system including Korea, which has been implementing a pilot project only for hospital hospice services. Copyright © 2010 Korean Society of Nursing Science. Published by . All rights reserved.

  1. Prevalence of vertebral fracture in Asian men and women: comparison between Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia and Japan.

    PubMed

    Kwok, A W L; Leung, J C S; Chan, A Y H; Au, B S K; Lau, E M C; Yurianto, H; Yuktanandana, P; Yoshimura, N; Muraki, S; Oka, H; Akune, T; Leung, P C

    2012-06-01

    Little is known about the prevalence of vertebral fracture among Asians. This study investigated the prevalence of radiographically defined vertebral fracture, and identified associated risk factors in the aged population of four Asian countries. In total, 1588 males and females aged ≥ 65 years were recruited from Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia and Japan. Standard X-rays for the spine were taken and vertebral heights were measured. Vertebral fracture was defined as a reduction of >3 standard deviations in vertebral height ratio. Bone mineral density (BMD) of the hip was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, and anthropometric measurements were taken in Hong Kong and Japan. Other relevant data were entered in a standard questionnaire. The prevalence of vertebral fracture for both males and females was highest in Japan for younger (65-74 years) and older (≥ 75 years) age groups (36.6% and 37.6% for males; 18.8% and 28.7% for females). Lower hip BMD was associated with vertebral fracture in both sexes. Older age, lower quality of life score on Short Form-12 (physical), past longest occupation as a farmer, and history of cataract were significantly associated with vertebral fracture in females. However, smoking did not appear to be an important risk factor for vertebral fracture. Radiographic assessments for vertebral fracture were performed in all four Asian countries. The prevalence of vertebral fracture was highest in Japan. Lower hip BMD, poorer physical condition and past longest occupation as a farmer were associated with vertebral fracture. Copyright © 2012 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Genetic changes in muscle protein following hybridization between Haliotis diversicolor reeve Japan and Taiwan populations revealed using a proteomic approach.

    PubMed

    Di, Guilan; You, Weiwei; Yu, Jinjin; Wang, Dexiang; Ke, Caihuan

    2013-03-01

    Protein expression patterns were compared in a Japan and Taiwan population of Haliotis diversicolor and in a hybrid between them using 2DE and MALDI-TOF-TOF analyses. Using the software PDQuest, 924 ± 7 protein spots were detected in the Japan population (RR), 861 ± 11 in the Taiwan population (TT), and 882 ± 9 in the F1 hybrid (TR). RR and TR were clustered together, but the distance between RR and TT was the maximum using hierarchical cluster analysis. A total of 46 gel spots were identified and a total of 15 spots matched with abalone proteins (a 33.6% identification rate). Hybrid exhibiting additivity or overdominance accounted for 73.9% of these 46 identified proteins. The 46 differentially expressed proteins were shown to be involved in major biological processes, including muscle contraction and regulation, energy metabolism, and stress response. The proteins involved in energy metabolism included adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase β subunit, fructose 1, 6-bisphosphate aldolase, triosephosphate isomerase, enolase, arginine kinase, and tauropine dehydrogenase. These proteins exhibited additivity in their offspring. The proteins involved in stress responses included HSP Hsp70 (exhibiting overdominance in the offspring) and Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (exhibiting additivity). These results suggested that proteomic approach is suitable for analysis of heterosis and functional prediction of abalone hybridization. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. Application of INCSEA principles to the Taiwan Strait.

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

    Wen-Chung, Chai

    2003-06-01

    The waters surrounding Taiwan are important international waterways. In addition to merchant ships of every nation, the warships of the United States, Japan, Russia, and China may appear in these waters. No hostility is expected between Taiwan and the United States, Japan, or Russia; however, Taiwan and China have a tense relationship, and both sides face a potential for naval incidents. As Taiwan and China expand their naval capability, the International Maritime Organization Convention for the lnternational Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea may not be sufficient to prevent naval incidents, any of which might develop into conflict or war.more » Therefore, China and Taiwan need to develop maritime confidence building measures (CBMs) that could reduce the chance of naval incidents and strengthen mutual trust and confidence. Among the variety of maritime CBM concepts for military purposes, the most successful and effective measure has been the 1972 U.S.-Soviet Union Agreement on the Prevention of Incidents On and Over the High Seas (INCSEA). The success of the agreement demonstrates that CBMs represent a workable alternative to traditional arms controls. The purpose of this paper is to suggest a concrete approach to the constraint of naval activities between China and Taiwan to reduce accidents and misunderstandings. This paper outlines the categories and characteristics of incidents at sea. Next, the author identifies the successful factors of the U.S.-Soviet INCSEA and applies the INCSEA concept to the Taiwan Strait. Finally, the author develops a framework of options and a step-by-step approach for establishing an INCSEA between Taiwan and China.« less

  4. Studies on Dendrothripinae (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) from Japan, with new records and one new species.

    PubMed

    Masumoto, Masami; Okajima, Shûji

    2017-12-05

    Pseudodendrothrips maculatus sp.n. is described from Morus leaves in Japan, and the following five species of Dendrothripinae are newly recorded from Japan: Leucothrips furcatus Hood, L. nigripennis Reuter, L. piercei (Morgan), Pseudodendrothrips darci (Girault) and P. lateralis Wang. Moreover, P. bhattii is newly recorded from Taiwan. An identification key to Pseudodendrothrips species from Japan and Taiwan is provided, and the metathoracic pleural area is compared between several Dendrothripinae genera.

  5. The first fatal case of yam bean and rotenone toxicity in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Narongchai, Paitoon; Narongchai, Siripun; Thampituk, Suparat

    2005-07-01

    The first fatal case of Yam bean and Rotenone toxicity in Thailand was studied at Forensic Medicine, Chiang Mai, Thailand. A Chinese Taiwan man, 59 years old, was found dead after Yam bean ingestion. Yam bean toxicity and death have been found very rarely in the world and has not been reported in Thailand The Yam bean plant is grown widely in Northern Thailand. But many people know that mature pods, seeds and filage of the Yam bean, except the tuberous root, are very toxic. The victim ate a lot of Yam bean seeds and died within 2 hours with respiratory failure. The authors detected Rotenone substance in Yam bean seeds, gastric content and 72 ng/ml blood by HPLC. Also generalized microscopic hemorrhage in the brain, lungs, liver and adrenal glands which were of characteristic pathology were detected. The authors concluded that the cause of death was asphyxia from Yam bean or Rotenone toxicity.

  6. Clandestine labor migration to Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Tsay, C

    1992-01-01

    "Illegal migration to Taiwan is a recent phenomenon but with a rapid rate of increase. Most illegal foreign workers enter on visitor's visas and overstay. This paper's detailed analysis of official data reveals that Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand are the major sources, providing a stock of mostly male workers numbering around 40,000. Sociodemographic and attitudinal changes among Taiwanese workers coupled with labor shortages in low-skilled jobs are pressuring the Taiwanese government to formulate plans for a systematic importation of foreign labor." excerpt

  7. 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.

  8. Higher education in gerontology: A comparison of master's programs in Japan, Taiwan, and Turkey.

    PubMed

    Ikeuchi, Tomoko; Lu, Feng-Hwa; Holdsworth, Jason K; Arun, Özgür; Wang, Shan-Tair; Murakami, Ikuko; Osada, Hisao

    2017-01-01

    As of 2015, there is only one master's program of gerontology acknowledged by each of the following countries: Japan, Taiwan, and Turkey. All three programs have fewer than 15 years of history. These three countries differ in society types based on the proportion of older adults, rate of population aging, and population size. However, in terms of gerontological education, they seem to share great commonalities. Common challenges are a lack of awareness of the field of gerontology, insufficient numbers of gerontology programs and faculty members to produce trained gerontologists within society, and the inadequacy of opportunities for trained gerontologists to play an active role in various fields. This study intends not only to compare the differences and similarities among three countries and programs, but also to elucidate characteristics of a unique gerontology program in each country and identify challenges and possibilities from the perspective of gerontological educators.

  9. Introducing the concept of modern depression in Japan; an international case vignette survey.

    PubMed

    Kato, Takahiro A; Shinfuku, Naotaka; Fujisawa, Daisuke; Tateno, Masaru; Ishida, Tetsuya; Akiyama, Tsuyoshi; Sartorius, Norman; Teo, Alan R; Choi, Tae Young; Wand, Anne P F; Balhara, Yatan Pal Singh; Chang, Jane Pei-Chen; Chang, Rita Yuan-Feng; Shadloo, Behrang; Ahmed, Helal Uddin; Lerthattasilp, Tiraya; Umene-Nakano, Wakako; Horikawa, Hideki; Matsumoto, Ryohei; Kuga, Hironori; Tanaka, Masuo; Kanba, Shigenobu

    2011-12-01

    Japanese psychiatrists have increasingly reported patients with depression that does not seem to fit the criteria of the ICD-10 and the DSM-IV, and which has recently been called modern type depression (MTD). We explored whether MTD is frequently seen in Japan and also in other countries, and if so, how patients with MTD are diagnosed and treated. The questionnaires, with two case vignettes (traditional type depression (TTD) and MTD), were sent to psychiatrists in Australia, Bangladesh, India, Iran, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and the USA. Participants rated their opinions about each case's prevalence in their country, etiology, diagnosis, suicide risk, and treatment using Likert scales. Out of 247 responses (123 from Japan and 124 from other countries), two hundred thirty-nine valid responses were received. MTD was recognized in all participating countries, and especially in urban areas. Generally, the factor of personality was regarded as the most probable cause of MTD. Whereas about 90% of Japanese psychiatrists applied the ICD/DSM criteria to TTD, only about 60% applied the criteria to MTD. Our results indicate that Japan's MTD seems to be occurring in many other countries, and that the present ICD/DSM criteria may not be sufficient to diagnose MTD. Therefore, it could be an important candidate for a new international diagnostic criterion as a subtype of depression. A clear diagnostic framework and consensus on the interventions to treat MTD would be valuable. Further clinical, psychopathological and international epidemiological studies are needed to confirm our preliminary findings of MTD. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. 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.

  11. JPRS Report, Soviet Union, International Affairs

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-06-20

    the "third world" stand out ever more clearly. Thus, the prime minister of Malaysia Mahathir Mohamad spoke in late March of the "historical...Asia—South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia , and Thailand. Almost all of these countries are former colonial posses- sions, and even...in Singapore and Thailand it was 11 and in Malaysia 8.1 percent; for comparison, the figure was 5.1 percent for Japan, 3.9 percent in the United

  12. Sex tourism in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Van Kerkwijk, C

    1992-01-01

    Many foreigners visit Thailand in search of sex. While long-distance tourism was long enjoyed by members of more privileged social classes, even the lower economical classes of Japan, Malaysia, Europe, America, and Australia can now afford to travel over long distances. This relatively new breed of tourist is more likely to be of lower socioeconomic and educational status and less likely to use condoms when having sex. An estimated 30,000 sex workers are active in Bangkok, of whom 7000/10,000 are females who work specifically in the tourism sector. 1/2-1/3 of the 600 commercial sex establishments in the city are visited by foreigners. Phuket, Pattaya, Koh Samui, and Chiangmai are also well-frequented by sex tourists. Overall, a large, diverse, inexpensive, and accessible commercial sex market exists in Thailand. One may meet sex workers quasi-ubiquitously and be assured to find someone capable of meeting one's sexual needs. With these attributes, Thailand strongly attracts tourists in search of sex. A certain degree of recklessness also prevails among those on vacation. Away from the peers and social mores of their native lands, tourists may engage in sexually activities without criticism. Likewise, Thai sex workers who cater to foreigners, especially females, enjoy more freedom and control in sexual relations than their peers who work among nationals. Neither single nor married women in Thailand are allowed much sexual freedom and are traditionally expected to be obliging docile, and submissive. The greater than normal personal latitude enjoyed by both sex worker and foreigner lead to more negotiation on condom use and overall lower use. As such, Thailand's commercial sex market with foreigners' involvement therein threatens to spread HIV to many other countries throughout the world.

  13. A Study of Elementary and Secondary Teacher Knowledge and Attitudes toward Aging and the Implementation of Aging Education in Taiwan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huang, Chin-Shan

    2012-01-01

    This study surveys elementary and secondary teachers in Taiwan and compares the findings with other studies conducted in America and Japan. The objective is to explore differences among teachers in Taiwan, Japan, and the United States in terms of their knowledge of, and attitudes toward, aging and the implementation of aging education in schools.…

  14. A Grounded Theory of Western-Trained Asian Group Leaders Leading Groups in Asia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taephant, Nattasuda; Rubel, Deborah; Champe, Julia

    2015-01-01

    This grounded theory research explored the experiences of Western-trained Asian group leaders leading groups in Asia. A total of 6 participants from Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand were interviewed 3 times over 9 months. The recursive process of data collection and analysis yielded substantive theory describing the participants' process of reconciling…

  15. Quantifying the seismicity on Taiwan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Yi-Hsuan; Chen, Chien-Chih; Turcotte, Donald L.; Rundle, John B.

    2013-07-01

    We quantify the seismicity on the island of Taiwan using the frequency-magnitude statistics of earthquakes since 1900. A break in Gutenberg-Richter scaling for large earthquakes in global seismicity has been observed, this break is also observed in our Taiwan study. The seismic data from the Central Weather Bureau Seismic Network are in good agreement with the Gutenberg-Richter relation taking b ≈ 1 when M < 7. For large earthquakes, M ≥ 7, the seismic data fit Gutenberg-Richter scaling with b ≈ 1.5. If the Gutenberg-Richter scaling for M < 7 earthquakes is extrapolated to larger earthquakes, we would expect a M > 8 earthquake in the study region about every 25 yr. However, our analysis shows a lower frequency of occurrence of large earthquakes so that the expected frequency of M > 8 earthquakes is about 200 yr. The level of seismicity for smaller earthquakes on Taiwan is about 12 times greater than in Southern California and the possibility of a M ≈ 9 earthquake north or south of Taiwan cannot be ruled out. In light of the Fukushima, Japan nuclear disaster, we also discuss the implications of our study for the three operating nuclear power plants on the coast of Taiwan.

  16. Social Services and Aging Policies in the U.S. and Asia. Presentations. Asia-U.S. Conference on Social Services and Aging Policies (Pensacola, Florida, August 8-11, 1988).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sheppard, Harold L., Ed.

    These proceedings contain an introduction and 26 papers arranged in five sections: (1) People's Republic of China and Taiwan (Republic of China); (2) Hong Kong, Singapore, and Thailand; (3) Korea; (4) Japan and the Western Pacific; and (5) United States. Paper titles and authors are as follows: "Recent Social Security Policies and…

  17. School Psychology Research and Practice in East Asia: Perspectives on the Past, Present, and Future Directions of the Field

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Jacqueline A.; Watanabe, Yayoi; Lee, Dong Hun; McIntosh, Kent

    2016-01-01

    To engage in a comparison of school psychology research and practice in eastern and western countries, the current study sought to identify key themes that have influenced the field of school psychology in East Asian countries. Forty-six leading school psychology professionals in Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand, and Taiwan provided their…

  18. Iron Deprivation Treatment of Breast Cancer: Preclinical Studies

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1998-02-01

    Hong Kong, India, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico , New Zealand, Pakistan, PR China, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, U.S.A...8217-cttactatacgccacataaccrccaggatt (EX6:N). 3 min. The PCRs were carried out using either a Hybaid t g g g 6EXU: Omnigene or Perkin Elmer 9600 thermal cycler. The 5

  19. The Asian Newspaper's Reluctant Revolution.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lent, John A., Ed.

    This book is composed of 19 articles written by both Asian and American scholars on the history and present conditions of newspapers in 15 Asian nations: China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Burma, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, South Vietnam, Ceylon, India, and Pakistan. Two overviews of the Asian…

  20. Rainbows: Stories and Customs from Around the World. Grades 3-6.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ahmed, Naseem

    This book, appropriate for use in grades 3-6, presents information about nine regions of the world: Malaysia; Costa Rica; Taiwan; New Mexico, United States; Japan; India; Nigeria; Thailand; and China. Each region is presented in a three part format: (1) Background information provides a look at the geographical location, the flag, and the social…

  1. The Value of Children: A Cross-National Study, Volume One. Introduction and Comparative Analysis.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arnold, Fred; And Others

    The volume, first in a series of seven, discusses the Value of Children Project, a cross-cultural survey designed to analyze reasons for married couples' wanting or not wanting children. The sample includes participants from the Republic of China (Taiwan), Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, and the United States (Hawaii). The…

  2. The Community College of the Future.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Terrey, John N.

    An overview is provided of the challenges facing community colleges due to the shift from a global society shaped by political philosophies to a society shaped by economic powers. Introductory comments are followed by a description of recent changes in the world community, including the rise of Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and…

  3. Industrial waste water in Bangkok, Thailand: Definitional mission report. Export trade information

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

    Pfrang, W.

    A definitional mission visited Thailand between February 1 and 7, 1992 to study the market opportunities for US manufacturers in providing pollution control equipment. Thailand presently lacks industrial machinery required for pollution control equipment. Consequently, this equipment must be imported for both industrial and municipal waste treatment facilities. The US has both the applicable technology and manufactured goods to serve the market. There is, however, stiff competition from Europe and especially Japan, who offer financial assistance at preferential rates for these types of projects.

  4. Spread of drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae in Asian countries: Asian Network for Surveillance of Resistant Pathogens (ANSORP) Study.

    PubMed

    Song, J H; Lee, N Y; Ichiyama, S; Yoshida, R; Hirakata, Y; Fu, W; Chongthaleong, A; Aswapokee, N; Chiu, C H; Lalitha, M K; Thomas, K; Perera, J; Yee, T T; Jamal, F; Warsa, U C; Vinh, B X; Jacobs, M R; Appelbaum, P C; Pai, C H

    1999-06-01

    Antimicrobial susceptibility of 996 isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae from clinical specimens was investigated in 11 Asian countries from September 1996 to June 1997. Korea had the greatest frequency of nonsusceptible strains to penicillin with 79.7%, followed by Japan (65.3%), Vietnam (60.8%), Thailand (57.9%), Sri Lanka (41.2%), Taiwan (38.7%), Singapore (23.1%), Indonesia (21.0%), China (9.8%), Malaysia (9.0%), and India (3.8%). Serotypes 23F and 19F were the most common. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of 154 isolates from Asian countries showed several major PFGE patterns. The serotype 23F Spanish clone shared the same PFGE pattern with strains from Korea, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Malaysia. Fingerprinting analysis of pbp1a, pbp2x, and pbp2b genes of 12 strains from six countries also showed identical fingerprints of penicillin-binding protein genes in most strains. These data suggest the possible introduction and spread of international epidemic clones into Asian countries and the increasing problems of pneumococcal drug resistance in Asian countries for the first time.

  5. 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.

  6. [Japanese who affected modern medicine in Taiwan: obstetrics and gynecology].

    PubMed

    Wang, Ming-Tung

    2009-12-01

    This text describes the leaders who established the modem obstetrics and gynecology for Taiwan. during the Japan-colonizing period (1895-1945). These leaders are Mr. Kawasoye, M., Mr. Mukae K., and Mr. Magara M. The lives of these leaders were different, but they all strongly contributed to the development of modem obstetrics and gynecology in Taiwan. With regard to the passage of time, Mr. Kawasoye contributed the initial efforts, Mr. Mukae worked during the flourishing period of the clinic; and Mr. Magara worked during the mature period, emphasizing research. These three periods are closely correlated with the course of the development of modem obstetrics and gynecology in Taiwan.

  7. Hannaella phyllophila sp. nov., a basidiomycetous yeast species associated with plants in Thailand and Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Surussawadee, Janjira; Jindamorakot, Sasitorn; Nakase, Takashi; Lee, Ching-Fu; Limtong, Savitree

    2015-07-01

    Five strains representing one novel anamorphic yeast species were isolated from plant leaves collected in Thailand (strains DMKU-SP186(T), ST-111 and ST-201) and Taiwan (strains FN20L02 and SM13L16). On the basis of morphological, biochemical, physiological and chemotaxonomic characteristics and sequence analysis of the D1/D2 region of the large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, they were assigned to a single novel species of the genus Hannaella. The sequences of the D1/D2 regions of the LSU rRNA genes of four of the strains (DMKU-SP186(T), ST-111, FN20L02 and SM13L16) were identical, while differing from strain ST-201 by 2 substitutions and 2 gaps. The nucleotide sequence of the ITS regions of the five strains differed from each other by between 0 and 3 nucleotide substitutions. The novel species was most closely related to Hannaella luteola, but showed 1.0-1.3% nucleotide substitutions (between 6 substitutions out of 568-606 nt and 8 substitutions, and 2 gaps out of 597 nt) in the D1/D2 region of the LSU rRNA gene and 1.4-2.0% nucleotide substitutions (6-9 substitutions out of 435 nt) in the ITS region. Ballistospores were produced by three of the strains on cornmeal agar at 15 and 20 °C after 4 weeks, while H. luteola did not produce ballistospores. The name Hannaella phyllophila sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DMKU-SP186(T) ( = BCC 69500(T) = NBRC 110428(T) = CBS 13921(T)).

  8. Paradoxical increase in cigarette smuggling after the market opening in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Wen, C P; Peterson, R A; Cheng, T Y D; Tsai, S P; Eriksen, M P; Chen, T

    2006-06-01

    To assess the magnitude of cigarette smuggling after the market opened in Taiwan. Review of tobacco industry documents for references to smuggling activities related to Taiwan and government statistics on seizure of smuggled cigarettes. The market opening in 1987 led to an increase in smuggling. Contraband cigarettes became as available as legal ones, with only a small fraction (8%) being seized. Being specifically excluded from the market-opening, Japan entered the Taiwan market by setting up a Swiss plant as a legal cover for smuggling 10-20 times its legal quota of exports to Taiwan. Smuggling in Taiwan contributed to increased consumption of foreign brands, particularly by the young. Taiwan, not a member of the World Health Organization, was excluded from the East Asian 16-member "Project Crocodile", a regional anti-smuggling collaborative effort to implement the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Taiwan showed a sharp increase in smuggling after market liberalisation. Being excluded from the international community, Taiwan faces an uphill battle to fight smuggling alone. If Taiwan remained as its weakest link, global efforts to reduce tobacco use will be undermined, particularly for countries in the East Asian region.

  9. Okinawa, Japan

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1991-08-11

    The southern half of the island of Okinawa, Japan (26.5N, 128.0E) can be seen in this nearly cloud free view. Okinawa is part of the Ryuku Islands which extend from Taiwan northeastward to Kyushu, southernmost of the Japanese Home Islands. The large military base at Kadena, with large runways, is visible near the center of the scene. Kadena is one of several emergency landing sites around the world for the space shuttle.

  10. Inherited metabolic disorders in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Wasant, Pornswan; Svasti, Jisnuson; Srisomsap, Chantragan; Liammongkolkul, Somporn

    2002-08-01

    The study of inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) in Thailand is in its infancy. The majority are clinically diagnosed since there are only a handful of clinicians and scientists with expertise in inherited metabolic disorders, shortage of well-equipped laboratory facilities and lack of governmental financial support. Genetic metabolic disorders are usually not considered a priority due to prevalence of infectious diseases and congenital infections. From a retrospective study at the Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Siriraj Hospital; estimated pediatrics patients with suspected IEM were approximately 2-3 per cent of the total pediatric admissions of over 5,000 annually. After more than 10 years of research and accumulated clinical experiences, a genetic metabolic center is being established in collaboration with expert laboratories both in Bangkok (Chulabhorn Research Institute) and abroad (Japan and the United States). Numerous inherited metabolic disorders were identified--carbohydrate, amino acids, organic acids, mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation, peroxisomal, mucopolysaccharidoses etc. This report includes the establishment of genetic metabolic center in Thailand, research and pilot studies in newborn screening in Thailand and a multicenter study from 5 institutions (Children's National Center, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Pramongkutklao Hospital, Ramathibodi and Siriraj Hospitals). Inherited metabolic disorders reported are fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase deficiency, phenylketonuria, homocystinuria, nonketotic hyperglycinemia, urea cycle defect (arginino succinate lyase deficiency, argininosuccinate synthetase deficiency), Menkes disease, propionic acidemia and mucopolysaccharidoses (Hurler, Hurler-Scheie).

  11. 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

  12. Paradoxical increase in cigarette smuggling after the market opening in Taiwan

    PubMed Central

    Wen, C P; Peterson, R A; Cheng, T Y D; Tsai, S P; Eriksen, M P; Chen, T

    2006-01-01

    Objectives To assess the magnitude of cigarette smuggling after the market opened in Taiwan. Methods Review of tobacco industry documents for references to smuggling activities related to Taiwan and government statistics on seizure of smuggled cigarettes. Results The market opening in 1987 led to an increase in smuggling. Contraband cigarettes became as available as legal ones, with only a small fraction (8%) being seized. Being specifically excluded from the market‐opening, Japan entered the Taiwan market by setting up a Swiss plant as a legal cover for smuggling 10–20 times its legal quota of exports to Taiwan. Smuggling in Taiwan contributed to increased consumption of foreign brands, particularly by the young. Taiwan, not a member of the World Health Organization, was excluded from the East Asian 16‐member “Project Crocodile”, a regional anti‐smuggling collaborative effort to implement the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Conclusions Taiwan showed a sharp increase in smuggling after market liberalisation. Being excluded from the international community, Taiwan faces an uphill battle to fight smuggling alone. If Taiwan remained as its weakest link, global efforts to reduce tobacco use will be undermined, particularly for countries in the East Asian region. PMID:16728745

  13. Regional Changes in Charcoal-Burning Suicide Rates in East/Southeast Asia from 1995 to 2011: A Time Trend Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Chang, Shu-Sen; Chen, Ying-Yeh; Yip, Paul S. F.; Lee, Won Jin; Hagihara, Akihito; Gunnell, David

    2014-01-01

    Background Suicides by carbon monoxide poisoning resulting from burning barbecue charcoal reached epidemic levels in Hong Kong and Taiwan within 5 y of the first reported cases in the early 2000s. The objectives of this analysis were to investigate (i) time trends and regional patterns of charcoal-burning suicide throughout East/Southeast Asia during the time period 1995–2011 and (ii) whether any rises in use of this method were associated with increases in overall suicide rates. Sex- and age-specific trends over time were also examined to identify the demographic groups showing the greatest increases in charcoal-burning suicide rates across different countries. Methods and Findings We used data on suicides by gases other than domestic gas for Hong Kong, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore in the years 1995/1996–2011. Similar data for Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand were also extracted but were incomplete. Graphical and joinpoint regression analyses were used to examine time trends in suicide, and negative binomial regression analysis to study sex- and age-specific patterns. In 1995/1996, charcoal-burning suicides accounted for <1% of all suicides in all study countries, except in Japan (5%), but they increased to account for 13%, 24%, 10%, 7%, and 5% of all suicides in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Singapore, respectively, in 2011. Rises were first seen in Hong Kong after 1998 (95% CI 1997–1999), followed by Singapore in 1999 (95% CI 1998–2001), Taiwan in 2000 (95% CI 1999–2001), Japan in 2002 (95% CI 1999–2003), and the Republic of Korea in 2007 (95% CI 2006–2008). No marked increases were seen in Malaysia, the Philippines, or Thailand. There was some evidence that charcoal-burning suicides were associated with an increase in overall suicide rates in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan (for females), but not in Japan (for males), the Republic of Korea, and Singapore. Rates of change in charcoal-burning suicide

  14. Regional changes in charcoal-burning suicide rates in East/Southeast Asia from 1995 to 2011: a time trend analysis.

    PubMed

    Chang, Shu-Sen; Chen, Ying-Yeh; Yip, Paul S F; Lee, Won Jin; Hagihara, Akihito; Gunnell, David

    2014-04-01

    Suicides by carbon monoxide poisoning resulting from burning barbecue charcoal reached epidemic levels in Hong Kong and Taiwan within 5 y of the first reported cases in the early 2000s. The objectives of this analysis were to investigate (i) time trends and regional patterns of charcoal-burning suicide throughout East/Southeast Asia during the time period 1995-2011 and (ii) whether any rises in use of this method were associated with increases in overall suicide rates. Sex- and age-specific trends over time were also examined to identify the demographic groups showing the greatest increases in charcoal-burning suicide rates across different countries. We used data on suicides by gases other than domestic gas for Hong Kong, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore in the years 1995/1996-2011. Similar data for Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand were also extracted but were incomplete. Graphical and joinpoint regression analyses were used to examine time trends in suicide, and negative binomial regression analysis to study sex- and age-specific patterns. In 1995/1996, charcoal-burning suicides accounted for <1% of all suicides in all study countries, except in Japan (5%), but they increased to account for 13%, 24%, 10%, 7%, and 5% of all suicides in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Singapore, respectively, in 2011. Rises were first seen in Hong Kong after 1998 (95% CI 1997-1999), followed by Singapore in 1999 (95% CI 1998-2001), Taiwan in 2000 (95% CI 1999-2001), Japan in 2002 (95% CI 1999-2003), and the Republic of Korea in 2007 (95% CI 2006-2008). No marked increases were seen in Malaysia, the Philippines, or Thailand. There was some evidence that charcoal-burning suicides were associated with an increase in overall suicide rates in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan (for females), but not in Japan (for males), the Republic of Korea, and Singapore. Rates of change in charcoal-burning suicide rate did not differ by sex/age group in

  15. The recognition of occupational diseases attributed to heavy workloads: experiences in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Yawen; Park, Jungsun; Kim, Yangho; Kawakami, Norito

    2012-10-01

    Health problems caused by long working hours and work stress have gained growing concerns in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. In all the three countries, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and mental disorders attributed to heavy workloads or stressful work events are considered compensable occupational diseases by workers' compensation systems. This study compared the trends of such cases and correlated the trends with changes in working hours during the period from 1980 to 2010. Data on occupational diseases were obtained from official statistics of the workers' compensation systems. Information on working hours was obtained from official statistics and national surveys of employees. While occupational cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and mental disorders attributed to work stress were increasingly compensated in all the three countries, the averaged working hours and the percentage of employees with long working hours had been in decline discordantly. Findings of this study suggested that reducing working hours alone is unlikely to reduce the problems of work stress. There is an urgent need to monitor and regulate a wider range of psychosocial work hazards. Especially, precarious employment and its associated health risks should be targeted for effective prevention of stress-related health problems in the workplace.

  16. Shrimp culture in Thailand: environmental impacts and social responses.

    PubMed

    Gronski, R

    2000-01-01

    Black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) is a major aquaculture commodity among Southeast Asian producers and remains a popular food export world-wide. Food brokers in Japan and the United States purchase huge quantities of these farmed shrimp and return significant foreign exchange earnings to developing nations like Thailand, a major producer and exporter since the early 1990s. However, coastal areas cannot sustain intensive shrimp farm production and local growers often end up in debt. Can the needs of farm communities around the world be suitably met when they join into a corporate-managed and export-oriented food system? What are the sustainable benefits and eventual costs to susceptible localities? The shrimp industry in Thailand reveals the difficult terrain to cross and powerful obstacles to overcome if authentic sustainable development is to be realized.

  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. 1996 hazardous waste management survey in selected Asian countries

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

    Nelson, D.; Christie, K.; Tao, Hong-lei

    This report documents the results of a 42-question survey submitted to countries in Asia concerning their hazardous waste management programs and other issues. The same survey questions were distributed in 1992. This report compares the 1992 and 1996 responses. The respondents were Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Philippines, Hong Kong, People`s Republic of China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia. 7 figs.

  19. Nonhost status of mangosteen to Bactrocera dorsalis and Bactrocera carambolae (Diptera:Tephritidae) in Thailand

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Postharvest quarantine treatments (irradiation or vapor heat) are used to control fruit flies and other pests in mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L) exported to the United States and Japan from Thailand. No-choice tests were conducted in the laboratory to determine whether Thai mangosteen is a host f...

  20. Gender differences in postneonatal infant mortality in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Yang, W S; Knöbel, H H; Chen, C J

    1996-11-01

    Numerous studies have indicated that gender discrimination influencing child survival is widespread in Asia. Therefore, we have investigated gender and cause-specific postneonatal mortality in Taiwan. Mortality data derived from death certificates and demographic statistics in Taiwan between 1981 and 1990 were analyzed. Postneonatal mortality decreased from 9.4 per 1000 live births to 5.5 per 1000 live births for males, and from 8.3 to 5.0 for females. The trends for cause-specific mortality for male and female infants were similar during the study period. The male-to-female ratio of overall death rates was 1.11. It was slightly higher in cities and lower in rural areas, and lowest in the least developed eastern region of Taiwan. Mortality from congenital diseases had the lowest male-to-female ratio, specifically in the North, the cities and areas of indigenous people. Infectious disease mortality showed low male-to-female ratios in the rural areas and in the eastern region. The place of death from infectious diseases as a measure for the use of sophisticated medical care showed that more female than male deaths occurred at home in the rural areas, cities, and central regions. It was concluded that a high level of socio-economic development created conditions of gender equality, whereas in situations of low socio-economic development males were favoured. The tendency to discriminate according to gender is very subtle in Taiwan, much less so than in other regions of Asia, including Thailand and India.

  1. Cross-border movement of older patients: a descriptive study on health service use of Japanese retirees in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Miyashita, Yumiko; Akaleephan, Chutima; Asgari-Jirhandeh, Nima; Sungyuth, Channarong

    2017-03-08

    Thailand's policy to promote long-stay tourism encourages Japanese retirees to relocate to Thailand. One concern of such an influx is the impact of these elderly foreign residents on the Thai health system. This study aims to reveal the current use of and needs for health services amongst Japanese retirees residing in various locations in Thailand. In collaboration with nine Japanese self-help clubs in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Phuket, questionnaire surveys of Japanese long-stay retirees were conducted from January to March 2015. The inclusion criteria were being ≥ 50 years of age and staying in Thailand for ≥30 days in the previous 12 months while the main exclusion criteria included relocation by company, relocation due to marriage, or working migrants. The mean age of the 237 eligible participants was 68.8, with 79.3% of them being male, 57.8% having stayed in Thailand for ≥5 years, 63.3% having stayed in Thailand for ≥300 days in the previous 12 months and 33% suffering from chronic diseases or sequelae. Of the 143 who had health check-ups in the previous 12 months, 48.3% did so in Thailand. The top 3 diseases treated either in Thailand or Japan in the previous 12 months were dental diseases (50 patients), hypertension (44 patients), and musculoskeletal disorders (41 patients), with the rate of treatment in Thailand standing at 46.0, 47.7, and 65.9%, respectively. Of the 106 who saw a doctor in Thailand in the same period, 70.8% did so less than once a month. Only 23.2% of the participants preferred to receive medical treatment for serious conditions in Thailand. However, this number rose to 32.9% for long-term care (LTC) use. The usage of Thai health services amongst Japanese long-stay retirees is currently limited as they prefer going back to Japan for health screenings and treatment of chronic or serious diseases. However, the number of Japanese residents requiring health services including LTC and end-of-life care is expected

  2. Testing the eBEAR System in Japan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hsu, H. C.; Chen, T. Y.; Tseng, T. L.

    2016-12-01

    The Central Weather Bureau of Taiwan has operated an earthquake early warning (EEW) system and issued warnings to schools and government agencies since 2014. The real-time seismic data streams are integrated by the Earthworm software. In order to rapidly process those data, some EEW modules were created under the Earthworm platform. The system is named Earthworm Based Earthquake Alarm Reporting (eBEAR) system, which is currently operating. The eBEAR system consists of new Earthworm modules for managing P-wave phase picking, trigger associations, hypocenter locations, magnitude estimations, and alert filtering prior to broadcasting. Online performance of the eBEAR system indicated that the average reporting times afforded by the system are approximately 15 and 26 seconds for inland and offshore earthquakes, respectively. During 2016 ML6.6 Meinong (Taiwan) earthquake, the eBEAR system was successfully issued after 12.8 seconds when the earthquake occurred. While performances of the eBEAR system are stable, accurate in most events in Taiwan, there are a limited number of recent, well-record, large earthquakes (M>7) available for testing it. In order to examine outcome of eBEAR for large earthquakes, we implemented offline test to the eBEAR system using 26 events in Japan with magnitude larger than 7.0 from 2008 to 2016. EEW systems of Taiwan and Japan have the same challengs, including inaccurate locations and poorly constrained for offshore and deep earthquakes in the initial stages due to limited station coverage. Therefore the testing of eBEAR system provides a good opportunity to examine the abilities of the eBEAR system.

  3. Japan’s National Interests in Taiwan

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-06-01

    to understand that, while Japan’s imperialistic actions throughout Asia and the Pacific from the late 19th century until the end of WWII are...1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202–4302, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0704...of U.S.–China–Japan Relations ...........................28  4.  The End of the “1955 System

  4. Molecular and morphological identification of a human biting tick, Amblyomma testudinarium (Acari: Ixodidae), in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Chao, Li-Lian; Lu, Chun-Wei; Lin, Ying-Fang; Shih, Chien-Ming

    2017-04-01

    Genetic identity and morphological features of a human biting tick, Amblyomma testudinarium, were determined for the first time in Taiwan. Morphological features of adult male and female ticks of Am. testudinarium were observed and photographed by a stereo- microscope. The genetic identity was analyzed by comparing the sequences of mitochondrial 16S ribosomal DNA gene obtained from 18 strains of ticks representing 10 species of Amblyomma, and four outgroup species of Dermacentor and Rhipicephalus ticks. Nine major clades could be easily distinguished by neighbour-joining analysis and were congruent by maximum-parsimony method. All these Am. testudinarium ticks collected from Taiwan and Japan were genetically affiliated to a monophyletic group with highly homogeneous sequence (99.8-100% similarity), and can be discriminated from other species of Amblyomma and other genera of ticks (Dermacentor and Rhipicephalus) with a sequence divergence ranging from 6.9 to 23.9%. Moreover, intra- and inter-species analysis based on the genetic distance (GD) values indicated a lower level (GD < 0.003) within the same lineage of Am. testudinarium ticks collected from Taiwan and Japan, as compared with other lineage groups (GD > 0.108) of Amblyomma ticks, as well as outgroup (GD > 0.172) species. Our results provide the first distinguished features of adult Am. testudinarium ticks and the first genetic identification of Am. testudinarium ticks collected from humans in Taiwan. Seasonal prevalence, host range, and vectorial capacity of this tick species in Taiwan need to be further clarified.

  5. Surrogacy: donor conception regulation in Japan.

    PubMed

    Semba, Yukari; Chang, Chiungfang; Hong, Hyunsoo; Kamisato, Ayako; Kokado, Minori; Muto, Kaori

    2010-09-01

    As of 2008, surrogacy is legal and openly practised in various places; Japan, however, has no regulations or laws regarding surrogacy. This paper reports the situation of surrogacy in Japan and in five other regions (the USA, the UK, Taiwan, Korea and France) to clarify the pros and cons of prohibiting surrogacy, along with the problems and issues relating to surrogacy compensation. Not only in a country such as France that completely prohibits surrogacy within the country, but also in a country such as the UK that allows non-commercial surrogacy, infertile couples travel overseas for the purpose of surrogacy. In addition, some couples might seek underground surrogacy if the government prohibits surrogacy. If an intended parent couple and a surrogate make an agreement among themselves and then a problem occurs, they cannot ask for support from professionals or bring a case to court, as can be observed in South Korea and Taiwan. We also conclude that there is little difference between commercial surrogacy and non-commercial surrogacy in the absence of a clear definition of 'reasonable expenses.' In the UK, the law does not allow surrogates to receive compensation. However, in reality, there may be little difference between the amounts paid to surrogates for profit in the US and those paid to surrogates for reasonable expenses in the UK. We conclude that the issue of surrogacy demands further discussion in Japan.

  6. Aerosol transport from Chiang Mai, Thailand to Mt. Lulin, Taiwan - Implication of aerosol aging during long-range transport

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chuang, Ming-Tung; Lee, Chung-Te; Chou, Charles C.-K.; Engling, Guenter; Chang, Shih-Yu; Chang, Shuenn-Chin; Sheu, Guey-Rong; Lin, Neng-Huei; Sopajaree, Khajornsak; Chang, You-Jia; Hong, Guo-Jun

    2016-07-01

    The transport of biomass burning (BB) aerosol from Indochina may cause a potential effect on climate change in Southeast Asia, East Asia, and the Western Pacific. Up to now, the understanding of BB aerosol composition modification during long-range transport (LRT) is still very limited due to the lack of observational data. In this study, atmospheric aerosols were collected at the Suthep/Doi Ang Khang (DAK) mountain sites in Chiang Mai, Thailand and the Lulin Atmospheric Background Station (Mt. Lulin) in central Taiwan from March to April 2010 and from February to April 2013, respectively. During the study period, an upwind and downwind relationship between the Suthep/DAK and Lulin sites (2400 km apart) was validated by backward trajectories. Comprehensive aerosol properties were resolved for PM2.5 water-soluble inorganic ions, carbonaceous content, water-soluble/insoluble organic carbon (WSOC/WIOC), dicarboxylic acids and their salts (DCAS), and anhydrosugars. A Modification Factor (MF) is proposed by employing non-sea-salt potassium ion (nss-K+) or fractionalized elemental carbon evolved at 580 °C after pyrolized OC correction (EC1-OP) as a BB aerosol tracer to evaluate the mass fraction changes of aerosol components from source to receptor regions during LRT. The MF values of nss-SO42-, NH4+, NO3-, OC1 (fractionalized organic carbon evolved from room temperature to 140 °C), OP (pyrolized OC fraction), DCAS, and WSOC were above unity, which indicated that these aerosol components were enhanced during LRT as compared with those in the near-source region. In contrast, the MF values of anhydrosugars ranged from 0.1 to 0.3, indicating anhydrosugars have degraded during LRT.

  7. Geographical origin of Leucobryum boninense Sull. & Lesq. (Leucobryaceae, Musci) endemic to the Bonin Islands, Japan

    PubMed Central

    Oguri, Emiko; Yamaguchi, Tomio; Tsubota, Hiromi; Deguchi, Hironori; Murakami, Noriaki

    2013-01-01

    Leucobryum boninense is endemic to the Bonin Islands, Japan, and its related species are widely distributed in Asia and the Pacific. We aimed to clarify the phylogenetic relationships among Leucobryum species and infer the origin of L. boninense. We also describe the utility of the chloroplast trnK intron including matK for resolving the phylogenetic relationships among Leucobryum species, as phylogenetic analyses using trnK intron and/or matK have not been performed well in bryophytes to date. Fifty samples containing 15 species of Leucobryum from Asia and the Pacific were examined for six chloroplast DNA regions including rbcL, rps4, partial 5′ trnK intron, matK, partial 3′ trnK intron, and trnL-F intergenic spacer plus one nuclear DNA region including ITS. A molecular phylogenetic tree showed that L. boninense made a clade with L. scabrum from Japan, Taiwan and, Hong Kong; L. javense which is widely distributed in East and Southeast Asia, and L. pachyphyllum and L. seemannii restricted to the Hawaii Islands, as well as with L. scaberulum from the Ryukyus, Japan, Taiwan, and southeastern China. Leucobryum boninense from various islands of the Bonin Islands made a monophylic group that was closely related to L. scabrum and L. javense from Japan. Therefore, L. boninense may have evolved from L. scabrum from Japan, Taiwan, or Hong Kong, or L. javense from Japan. We also described the utility of trnK intron including matK. A percentage of the parsimony-informative characters in trnK intron sequence data (5.8%) was significantly higher than that from other chloroplast regions, rbcL (2.4%) and rps4 (3.2%) sequence data. Nucleotide sequence data of the trnK intron including matK are more informative than other chloroplast DNA regions for identifying the phylogenetic relationships among Leucobryum species. PMID:23610621

  8. Geographical origin of Leucobryum boninense Sull. & Lesq. (Leucobryaceae, Musci) endemic to the Bonin Islands, Japan.

    PubMed

    Oguri, Emiko; Yamaguchi, Tomio; Tsubota, Hiromi; Deguchi, Hironori; Murakami, Noriaki

    2013-04-01

    Leucobryum boninense is endemic to the Bonin Islands, Japan, and its related species are widely distributed in Asia and the Pacific. We aimed to clarify the phylogenetic relationships among Leucobryum species and infer the origin of L. boninense. We also describe the utility of the chloroplast trnK intron including matK for resolving the phylogenetic relationships among Leucobryum species, as phylogenetic analyses using trnK intron and/or matK have not been performed well in bryophytes to date. Fifty samples containing 15 species of Leucobryum from Asia and the Pacific were examined for six chloroplast DNA regions including rbcL, rps4, partial 5' trnK intron, matK, partial 3' trnK intron, and trnL-F intergenic spacer plus one nuclear DNA region including ITS. A molecular phylogenetic tree showed that L. boninense made a clade with L. scabrum from Japan, Taiwan and, Hong Kong; L. javense which is widely distributed in East and Southeast Asia, and L. pachyphyllum and L. seemannii restricted to the Hawaii Islands, as well as with L. scaberulum from the Ryukyus, Japan, Taiwan, and southeastern China. Leucobryum boninense from various islands of the Bonin Islands made a monophylic group that was closely related to L. scabrum and L. javense from Japan. Therefore, L. boninense may have evolved from L. scabrum from Japan, Taiwan, or Hong Kong, or L. javense from Japan. We also described the utility of trnK intron including matK. A percentage of the parsimony-informative characters in trnK intron sequence data (5.8%) was significantly higher than that from other chloroplast regions, rbcL (2.4%) and rps4 (3.2%) sequence data. Nucleotide sequence data of the trnK intron including matK are more informative than other chloroplast DNA regions for identifying the phylogenetic relationships among Leucobryum species.

  9. Why can Taiwan utilize criminal law to discipline physicians?

    PubMed

    Ger, Jiin

    2009-04-01

    Modern medicine was first introduced into Taiwan by missionary hospitals in 1865. However, Japanese governors following Japan's medical reform applied modern medicine as the standard of practice in the year 1896. They also imported 150 doctors from Japan to promote public hygiene and control infectious diseases, such as malaria, plague, cholera, dysentery, etc. The reasons that the Courts started to use criminal law to deal with medical malpractice during 1950-1960s may be attributed to the following: costly and ineffective civil actions, chaotic medical licensing, a period of upheaval during the 1947 massacre (228 incident), Chinese Civil War (1947-1949), political unrest, "White Terror" and "Espionage Act" during the period of martial law (1949-1987), social injustice and economic depression. The general environment for medical practice in Taiwan has changed greatly in the past 60years. It is time for us to look around the world to set up standards of negligence for both clinical and criminal cases as soon as possible. In the mean time, the Department of Health should consider adopting the Good Medical Practice guidelines from the United Kingdom to strengthen the administrative power to regulate physicians' behaviors.

  10. East Asia’s Foreign Exchange Rate Policies

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-07-16

    At the other extreme, Japan, the Philippines, and South Korea have usually allowed their currencies to float freely in foreign exchange ( forex ...China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam allow their currency to adjust in value in forex markets so long as the...There were also reports that Korea sold more dollars for won in early April 2008.7 At the time, some forex analysts claimed that the new South Korean

  11. Civil-Military Roles of Indigenous Armed Forces (CRIAF). Volume 1. Executive Summary. Volume 2. Main Report. Volume 3. Appendixes

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1974-07-01

    requirements. For example, the navy shipyard at Guanabara Bay has built vessels of 5,000 tons displace- ment for coimercial firms engaged in...Pakistan Argentina Mexico Brazil 10180 10230 .10300 17500 23U30 33000 35440 198 266 990 134 989 651 372 Cuba Israel Nigeria Thailand...Rep. 357 Japan 1907 Togo 141 Albania 364 Austria 1932 Kenya 141 Brazil 372 USSR 2047 P.R. China 144 Taiwan 374 Czechoslovakia 2103 Mauritania 150

  12. Ocular sparganosis from Assam

    PubMed Central

    Nath, Reema; Gogoi, Rajendra Nath

    2015-01-01

    Sparganosis is caused by plerocercoid larvae of the Pseudophyllidea tapeworms of the genus Spirometra. Though prevalent in East Asian and south east Asian countries like China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand; yet very few cases are reported from India. We report a case of migrating sub-conjunctival ocular sparganosis mimicking scleritis which later on developed into orbital cellulitis from Dibrugarh, Assam, North-eastern part of India. This case is reported for its rarity. PMID:25709957

  13. An opportunity in difficulty: Japan-Korea-Taiwan expert Delphi consensus on surgical difficulty during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

    PubMed

    Iwashita, Yukio; Hibi, Taizo; Ohyama, Tetsuji; Honda, Goro; Yoshida, Masahiro; Miura, Fumihiko; Takada, Tadahiro; Han, Ho-Seong; Hwang, Tsann-Long; Shinya, Satoshi; Suzuki, Kenji; Umezawa, Akiko; Yoon, Yoo-Seok; Choi, In-Seok; Huang, Wayne Shih-Wei; Chen, Kuo-Hsin; Watanabe, Manabu; Abe, Yuta; Misawa, Takeyuki; Nagakawa, Yuichi; Yoon, Dong-Sup; Jang, Jin-Young; Yu, Hee Chul; Ahn, Keun Soo; Kim, Song Cheol; Song, In Sang; Kim, Ji Hoon; Yun, Sung Su; Choi, Seong Ho; Jan, Yi-Yin; Shan, Yan-Shen; Ker, Chen-Guo; Chan, De-Chuan; Wu, Cheng-Chung; Lee, King-Teh; Toyota, Naoyuki; Higuchi, Ryota; Nakamura, Yoshiharu; Mizuguchi, Yoshiaki; Takeda, Yutaka; Ito, Masahiro; Norimizu, Shinji; Yamada, Shigetoshi; Matsumura, Naoki; Shindoh, Junichi; Sunagawa, Hiroki; Gocho, Takeshi; Hasegawa, Hiroshi; Rikiyama, Toshiki; Sata, Naohiro; Kano, Nobuyasu; Kitano, Seigo; Tokumura, Hiromi; Yamashita, Yuichi; Watanabe, Goro; Nakagawa, Kunitoshi; Kimura, Taizo; Yamakawa, Tatsuo; Wakabayashi, Go; Mori, Rintaro; Endo, Itaru; Miyazaki, Masaru; Yamamoto, Masakazu

    2017-04-01

    We previously identified 25 intraoperative findings during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) as potential indicators of surgical difficulty per nominal group technique. This study aimed to build a consensus among expert LC surgeons on the impact of each item on surgical difficulty. Surgeons from Japan, Korea, and Taiwan (n = 554) participated in a Delphi process and graded the 25 items on a seven-stage scale (range, 0-6). Consensus was defined as (1) the interquartile range (IQR) of overall responses ≤2 and (2) ≥66% of the responses concentrated within a median ± 1 after stratification by workplace and LC experience level. Response rates for the first and the second-round Delphi were 92.6% and 90.3%, respectively. Final consensus was reached for all the 25 items. 'Diffuse scarring in the Calot's triangle area' in the 'Factors related to inflammation of the gallbladder' category had the strongest impact on surgical difficulty (median, 5; IQR, 1). Surgeons agreed that the surgical difficulty increases as more fibrotic change and scarring develop. The median point for each item was set as the difficulty score. A Delphi consensus was reached among expert LC surgeons on the impact of intraoperative findings on surgical difficulty. © 2017 Japanese Society of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery.

  14. Growth and development of permanent teeth germ of transplacental Yu-Cheng babies in Taiwan

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

    Lan, Shoujen; Yen, Yeayin; Ko, Yingchin

    This paper is intended to present a study of transplacental Yu-Cheng babies in Taiwan. The focus of the study is to demonstrate how a contaminated food source can affect the growth and development of permanent teeth germ in children. A sporadic outbreak of a peculiar skin disease was reported in Japan in October of 1968. An epidemiological study revealed the outbreak of this disease was caused by contaminated Kanemi rice oil. This episode of rice oil poisoned with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) was the first reported outbreak of PCB poisoning in the world. A second episode occurred in central Taiwan elevenmore » years after the Japanese episode. Registered data from the Taiwan Provincial Government Health Department reported 1,843 cases in 1980. Of this group, more than 800 women were child-bearing age and most of these women would or soon would be married and pregnant. The offsprings of these women were in danger, because it has been proven that PCB intoxication could affect the fetus. These babies, only contaminated through the placenta, are called PCB transplacental Yusho babies in Japan and PCB transplacental Yu-Cheng babies in Taiwan. Babies with PCB poisoning could have Fetal PCB syndrome (FPS) and may have retarded eruption of permanent teeth and other anomalies such as reduced numbers of teeth and abnormal shaped roots. The study of transplacental Yu-Cheng babies is an important public health issue for Taiwan. Although there may be other issues, this study focuses only on the growth and development of permanent teeth of those babies affected by PCB transplacental contamination.« less

  15. Thailand.

    PubMed

    1988-03-01

    Focus in this discussion of Thailand is on the following: geography; the people; history; government; the economy; defense; foreign relations; and relations between Thailand and the US. In 1987, the population totaled 54 million with an annual growth rate of less than 1.6%. The infant mortality rate is 45/1000 with a life expectancy of 64.2 years. Thailand's society is relatively homogeneous with more than 85% of the people speaking a dialect of Thai and sharing a common culture. According to recent archeological studies, communities in Thailand had emerged as centers of early bronze metallurgy as early as 4000 B.C. Together with the cultivation of wet rice, this provided the impetus for social and political organization. The Thai date the founding of their nation to the 13th century. A revolution in 1932 transformed the government of Thailand from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy. This transition was smooth and nonviolent. The 1978 constitution, the 4th since 1932, provides that the kind is formally the head of state. He has little direct power but is an important popular symbol of national identity and unity. A 14-member Privy Council is appointed by the kind to advise him and, under certain conditions, to appoint a regent for the exercise of royal powers. Other state organs mandated in the constitution are the National Assembly, the Council of Ministers, the courts, and the local government. The office of the prime minister is the center of political power. Thailand is endowed with considerable natural resources, and the economy has demonstrated impressive growth. Foreign trade and investment are key aspects of the economy. Agriculture is the most important economic activity; more than 60% of the population live in rural areas. Industry and the service sector also are important and have contributed to the consistently rapid growth of the economy. Official relations between the US and Thailand date from 1833. Thailand has received US military equipment

  16. GENETIC AND IMMUNOLOGICAL EVIDENCES OF BORRELIA BURGDORFERI IN DOG IN THAILAND.

    PubMed

    Sthitmatee, Nattawooti; Jinawan, Wanna; Jaisan, Nawaporn; Tangjitjaroen, Weerapongse; Chailangkarn, Sasisophin; Sodarat, Chollada; Ekgatat, Monaya; Padungtod, Pawin

    2016-01-01

    Lyme disease is a tick-borne zoonotic disease caused by spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. It is transmitted from animals to humans by the bite of infected ticks of the genus Ixodes. Although Lyme disease has been reported in China and Japan, the disease has never been reported in Thailand. Blood samples and ticks were collected from 402 dogs from 7 and 3 animal clinics in Chiang Mai and Phuket Provinces, Thailand, respectively. Blood samples were tested for antibodies against B. burgdorferi, Anaplasma spp, Ehrlichia spp and Dirofilaria immitis using a commercial kit, and positive blood samples were subjected to nested PCR assay for B. burgdorferi fla, ospA and ospC, amplicons of which also were sequenced. Only one dog (from Chiang Mai) was positive for B. burgdorferi, with 97% to 100% genetic identity, depending on the sequences used for comparison, with strains from United State of America. All 376 ticks collected were Rhipicephalus sanguineus, but no tick was found on the infected dog. Further investigations of the infection source and vector are needed to understand potential risks of Lyme disease to dogs and humans in Thailand.

  17. Scenes from an Unfinished War: Low-Intensity Conflict in Korea, 1966-1969 (Leavenworth Papers, Number 19)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1991-07-01

    1966, he hosted the Asian Pacific Council (Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia , the Philip- pines, South Vietnam, Thailand, Australia, and Laos) in Seoul. It...fingered worked as contract employees of U.S. Eighth Army, one of the cells having been in place since 1961.55 But by August, they were gone. The year...firmly in control.8 Like the strength of the Samsung and Hyundai corporations, the overbearing might of the soldiery in Seoul is also a legacy of the

  18. A review of Thailand`s strategies for global climate change

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

    Boonchalermkit, S.

    Thailand is greatly concerned about global climate change, which is caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and the release of chlorofluorocarbons. The country itself is not currently a major contributor to global climate change. However, as Thailand`s economy expands and its burning of fossil fuels increases, the country`s contribution to global climate change could increase. Thailand`s use of primary energy supplies grew at an average rate of 13.4 percent per year in the period 1985 to 1990. The rapid, sustained growth was due to the overall pace of growth in the economy and the expansion of industrial,more » construction, and transportation activities. The primary energy demand was approximately 31,600 kilotons of oil equivalent (KTOE) in 1990. The transportation sector accounted for the largest proportion of energy demand at 30 percent. Within the next 15 years, the power sector is expected to overtake the transportation sector as the largest consumer of energy. Petroleum is currently the predominant source of energy in Thailand, accounting for 56 percent of the primary energy demand. Thailand recognizes that it has an important part to play in finding solutions to minimizing emissions of greenhouse gases and identifying viable response strategies. Thus, in this paper the authors will present several policy strategies relevant to climate change in Thailand and discuss how they have been implemented and enforced. Policies concerning forestry, energy, and environment are reviewed in detail in this paper.« less

  19. Mathematics Classrooms in Japan, Taiwan, and the United States.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stigler, James W.; And Others

    1987-01-01

    Studies were conducted in Chinese, Japanese, and American classrooms during mathematics classes. Large cross-cultural differences were found in variables related to classroom structure and management. These paralleled differences in mathematics achievement among China, Japan, and the United States. (PCB)

  20. A review of accessibility of administrative healthcare databases in the Asia-Pacific region

    PubMed Central

    Milea, Dominique; Azmi, Soraya; Reginald, Praveen; Verpillat, Patrice; Francois, Clement

    2015-01-01

    Objective We describe and compare the availability and accessibility of administrative healthcare databases (AHDB) in several Asia-Pacific countries: Australia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, China, Thailand, and Malaysia. Methods The study included hospital records, reimbursement databases, prescription databases, and data linkages. Databases were first identified through PubMed, Google Scholar, and the ISPOR database register. Database custodians were contacted. Six criteria were used to assess the databases and provided the basis for a tool to categorise databases into seven levels ranging from least accessible (Level 1) to most accessible (Level 7). We also categorised overall data accessibility for each country as high, medium, or low based on accessibility of databases as well as the number of academic articles published using the databases. Results Fifty-four administrative databases were identified. Only a limited number of databases allowed access to raw data and were at Level 7 [Medical Data Vision EBM Provider, Japan Medical Data Centre (JMDC) Claims database and Nihon-Chouzai Pharmacy Claims database in Japan, and Medicare, Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), Centre for Health Record Linkage (CHeReL), HealthLinQ, Victorian Data Linkages (VDL), SA-NT DataLink in Australia]. At Levels 3–6 were several databases from Japan [Hamamatsu Medical University Database, Medi-Trend, Nihon University School of Medicine Clinical Data Warehouse (NUSM)], Australia [Western Australia Data Linkage (WADL)], Taiwan [National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD)], South Korea [Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA)], and Malaysia [United Nations University (UNU)-Casemix]. Countries were categorised as having a high level of data accessibility (Australia, Taiwan, and Japan), medium level of accessibility (South Korea), or a low level of accessibility (Thailand, China, Malaysia, and Singapore). In some countries, data may be available but

  1. A review of accessibility of administrative healthcare databases in the Asia-Pacific region.

    PubMed

    Milea, Dominique; Azmi, Soraya; Reginald, Praveen; Verpillat, Patrice; Francois, Clement

    2015-01-01

    We describe and compare the availability and accessibility of administrative healthcare databases (AHDB) in several Asia-Pacific countries: Australia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, China, Thailand, and Malaysia. The study included hospital records, reimbursement databases, prescription databases, and data linkages. Databases were first identified through PubMed, Google Scholar, and the ISPOR database register. Database custodians were contacted. Six criteria were used to assess the databases and provided the basis for a tool to categorise databases into seven levels ranging from least accessible (Level 1) to most accessible (Level 7). We also categorised overall data accessibility for each country as high, medium, or low based on accessibility of databases as well as the number of academic articles published using the databases. Fifty-four administrative databases were identified. Only a limited number of databases allowed access to raw data and were at Level 7 [Medical Data Vision EBM Provider, Japan Medical Data Centre (JMDC) Claims database and Nihon-Chouzai Pharmacy Claims database in Japan, and Medicare, Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), Centre for Health Record Linkage (CHeReL), HealthLinQ, Victorian Data Linkages (VDL), SA-NT DataLink in Australia]. At Levels 3-6 were several databases from Japan [Hamamatsu Medical University Database, Medi-Trend, Nihon University School of Medicine Clinical Data Warehouse (NUSM)], Australia [Western Australia Data Linkage (WADL)], Taiwan [National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD)], South Korea [Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA)], and Malaysia [United Nations University (UNU)-Casemix]. Countries were categorised as having a high level of data accessibility (Australia, Taiwan, and Japan), medium level of accessibility (South Korea), or a low level of accessibility (Thailand, China, Malaysia, and Singapore). In some countries, data may be available but accessibility was restricted

  2. "Foreign brides" meet ethnic politics in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Tsai, Ming-Chang

    2011-01-01

    A great number of women from China, Vietnam, and Indonesia recently arrived in Taiwan to marry men of lower social strata. Such an unusual pattern of migration has stimulated debates about the status and the citizenship of the new arrivals. This study analyzes Taiwanese responses toward these marriage migrants by using a national survey conducted in 2004. Three aspects of restrictive attitudes were tapped concerning these newcomers: (1) rights to work; (2) access to public health insurance; and (3) full citizenship. Immigrants from China were most opposed, compared to women with other origins (Southeast Asia, Japan, Europe, and the US). The seemingly unrelated regression estimation regression results do not support the split labor market hypotheses, as marriage migrants do not appear to be economic threats toward members of the lower classes. In contrast, ethnic nationalism plays a key role in determining the natives’ restrictive attitudes. The case of Taiwan represents a special genre, where ethnic politics selectively arouses the social rejection of women immigrants of certain origins.

  3. Trace-Element Analysis by Use of PIXE Technique on Agricultural Products

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Takagi, A.; Yokoyama, R.; Makisaka, K.; Kisamori, K.; Kuwada, Y.; Nishimura, D.; Matsumiya, R.; Fujita, Y.; Mihara, M.; Matsuta, K.; Fukuda, M.

    2009-10-01

    In order to examine whether a trace-element analysis by PIXE (Particle Induced X-ray Emission) gives a clue to identify production area of agricultural products, we carried out a study on soy beans as an example. In the present study, a proton beam at the energy of 2.3MeV was provided by Van de Graaff accelerator at Osaka University. We used a Ge detector with Be window to measure X-ray spectra. We prepared sample soy beans from China, Thailand, Taiwan, and 7 different areas in Japan. As a result of PIXE analysis, 5 elements, potassium, iron, zinc, arsenic and rubidium, have been identified. There are clear differences in relative amount of trace-elements between samples from different international regions. Chinese beans contain much more Rb than the others, while there are significant differences in Fe and Zn between beans of Thailand and Taiwan. There are relatively smaller differences among Japanese beans. This result shows that trace-elements bring us some practical information of the region where the product grown.

  4. Asia Federation Report on International Symposium on Grid Computing 2009 (ISGC 2009)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grey, Francois

    This report provides an overview of developments in the Asia-Pacific region, based on presentations made at the International Symposium on Grid Computing 2009 (ISGC 09), held 21-23 April. This document contains 14 sections, including a progress report on general Asia-EU Grid activities as well as progress reports by representatives of 13 Asian countries presented at ISGC 09. In alphabetical order, these are: Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

  5. Asia Federation Report on International Symposium on Grid Computing (ISGC) 2010

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grey, Francois; Lin, Simon C.

    This report provides an overview of developments in the Asia-Pacific region, based on presentations made at the International Symposium on Grid Computing 2010 (ISGC 2010), held 5-12 March at Academia Sinica, Taipei. The document includes a brief overview of the EUAsiaGrid project as well as progress reports by representatives of 13 Asian countries presented at ISGC 2010. In alphabetical order, these are: Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

  6. Pleistocene microvertebrates from fissure-fillings in Thailand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chaimanee, Yaowalak; Jaeger, Jean-Jacques; Suteethorn, Varavudh

    Microvertebrates (and among them specially, rodents) have contributed to the elaboration of precise biochronological time scales and to the reconstitution of Pleistocene paleoenvironments in several parts of the world (North America, Africa, Europe and Japan). They have been demonstrated to be highly sensitive to climatic changes since they are very sensitive to vegetation changes. Up to now, no data is available for Southeast Asia and very few information is available concerning the nature of climatic changes which affected that part of the tropical world during the Pleistocene. In the past few years, we have discovered several fissure fillings in Thailand yielding numerous remains of microvertebrates which have been extracted by dissolution in acetic acid solution. These deposits are the result of the feeding activity of predators, like owls or diurnal raptors, whose pellets are accumulated in caves or fissures. Eleven localities, located in Central (2), Eastern (1), Western (2) and Peninsular Thailand (6) have been investigated so far. Several rodent species, belonging to 9 genera of Murinae (rats and mice) and 9 genera of Sciuridae (squirrels) have been identified in these localities. The most important differences with the extant representatives often concern the size of the teeth of these fossil species. The meaning of these size differences is not yet clearly understood since they can be attributed either to significant time differences between localities (microevolution) or as the result of size variations related to climatic changes (clinical variations). More data will have to be collected to calibrate the temporal frame. Already, important modification of the geographic distribution of some species have been discovered which testify that during the Pleistocene, significative climatic changes have affected Southeast Asia. For example, Exilisciurus, a squirrel which is presently restricted to Borneo has been recognized in Peninsular Thailand. Also, Iomys

  7. Thailand's downstream projects proliferate

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

    Not Available

    1991-06-03

    Thailand continues to press expansion and modernization of its downstream sector. Among recent developments: Construction of an olefins unit at Thailand's second major petrochemical complex and a worldscale aromatics unit in Thailand is threatened by rising costs. Thailand's National Petrochemical Corp (NPC) let a 9 billion yen contract to Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Co. and C. Itoh and Co. for a dual fuel cogeneration power plant at its Mab Ta Phud, Rayong province, petrochemical complex. Financing is in place to flash a green light for a $530 million Belgian-Thai joint venture sponsoring a worldscale polyvinyl chloride/vinyl chloride monomer plant inmore » Thailand. Work is more than 50% complete on the $345 million second phase expansion of Thai Oil's Sri Racha refinery in Chon Buri province. Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT) endorsed a plan to install two more natural gas processing plants in Thailand to meet rapidly growing domestic demand for petroleum gas.« less

  8. Umbilical cord blood for unrelated bone marrow replacement; Asia bank and Japan cord blood bank network update.

    PubMed

    Mugishima, Hideo; Takahashi, Tuneo; Nagamura, Tokiko; Asano, Sigetaka; Saito, Hidehiko

    2002-08-01

    Cord blood offers many advantages including a high concentration of hematopoietic stem cells, a large number of potential donors, and ease of harvest. Furthermore, since there is no risk for either the mother or baby, few people refuse to donate. There is thought to be a low risk for virus contamination and also probably a low incidence and severity of GVHD. Cord blood can be obtained quickly without the assistance of a coordinator and one or 2 locus-mismatched HLA is usually acceptable. In Japan, there are 10 cord blood banks supported by the government. Between 1996 and June 2002, 9,500 units were registered with the Japan cord blood bank network (JCBBN). 630 units were delivered and most of these were transplanted. The status of registered cord blood units worldwide is shown. 59,081 units have been registered by NETCORD. The Japan cord blood bank network accounts for 13% of these units. I will discuss the Tokyo cord blood tank (TCBB). The bank at Tokyo, to which we belong, is one of the largest banks in Japan. We helped to establish Asia CORD in 2000 and have held annual conferences and meetings in Tokyo to exchange information. So far, China, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Viet Nam and Japan have participated. We accepted three trainees from the Ho Chi Minh City Blood Transfusion and Hematology Center for training in cord blood transplantation in May 2001. In January 2002, a patient with ALL received cord blood and was successfully engrafted at Ho Chi Minh City Blood Transfusion and Hematology Center. We present here the clinical outcome of these patients through Tokyo cord blood bank and Japan cord blood bank network. First, the number of CB units stored and registered at JCBBN and TCBB has increased rapidly over the past two years. Second, the survival rate of acute leukemia patients in release was significantly lower than that in patients in CR. Third, the engraftment rate in patients with metabolic disease (50%) was lower than that in patients with leukemia

  9. Infant Cancer in Taiwan: Incidence and Trends (1995-2009)

    PubMed Central

    Hung, Giun-Yi; Horng, Jiun-Lin; Yen, Hsiu-Ju; Lee, Chih-Ying

    2015-01-01

    Background Current information about cancer incidence patterns among infants in East Asia is rare. The objective of this study was to report the first population-based cancer surveillance of infants in Taiwan. Methods Cancer frequencies and incidence rates among subjects aged <1 year for the period 1995-2009 were obtained from the Taiwan Cancer Registry. Types of cancers were grouped according to the International Classification of Childhood Cancer. Rates and trends were analyzed by sex and disease groups and further compared with that of other countries. Results A total of 900 infants were diagnosed with cancers, giving an incidence rate of 250.7 per million person-years from 1995 to 2009. The male-to-female incidence rate ratio was 1.22. Overall, leukemias (56.3 per million) were the most common cancer, followed by germ cell neoplasms (43.2) and neuroblastomas (41.8). The incidence increased by 2.5% annually during the 15-year study period and was predominantly contributed by male infants (3.5%). Compared with other countries, the rate of hepatoblastoma in Taiwan was second to that from Beijing (China) and 2 to 5 times greater compared with the US, France, the North of England and Osaka (Japan). The rates of germ cell neoplasms were 2 to 4 times greater in Taiwan. Conclusions The current data suggests that cancer incidence rate among male infants was rising in Taiwan. The factors associated with higher rates of hepatoblastoma and germ cell neoplasms warrant further investigation on similar ethnic groups of different areas to elucidate the potential environmental impacts while controlling for race. PMID:26110595

  10. The Japanese hallucinogenic mushrooms Psilocybe and a new synonym of P. subcaerulipes with three asiatic species belong to section Zapotecorum (Higher Basidiomycetes).

    PubMed

    Guzman, Gaston; Cortes-Perez, Alonso; Ramirez-Guillen, Florencia

    2013-01-01

    The subtropical Japanese bluing mushroom Psilocybe subcaerulipes, described by Hongo, has several synonyms: P. argentipes by Yokoyama (also from Japan), P. taiwanensis by Guzman and Yang (from Taiwan), and P. thaizapoteca by Guzman, Ramirez-Guillen, and Karunaratna (from Thailand). The study of the holotypes and others specimens of these mushrooms shows that they have basidiospores, pleurocystidia, cheilocystidia, and several other important taxonomic features in common, as well as habitat. Recent discussions of all Japanese hallucinogenic species of Psilocybe and their neurotropic effects are also considered.

  11. Geographical Distribution of Taenia asiatica and Related Species

    PubMed Central

    Jeon, Hyeong-Kyu; Rim, Han-Jong

    2009-01-01

    Geographical information of Taenia asiatica is reviewed together with that of T. solium and T. saginata. Current distribution of T. asiatica was found to be mostly from Asian countries: the Republic of Korea, China, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Thailand. Molecular genotypic techniques have found out more countries with T. asiatica from Japan, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Specimens used in this paper were collected from around the world and mostly during international collaboration projects of Korean foundations for parasite control activities (1995-2009) in developing countries. PMID:19885327

  12. U.S.-Thailand Relations: Analysis of U.S. Military Support to the Kingdom of Thailand

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-01-01

    Chen, 1. 7 David K. Wyatt, Thailand: A Short History ( Chiang Mai , Thailand: Silkworm Books, 2003),278. 8 Wyatt, 277. 9 U.S. Department of State...westhawk.blogspot.com/2008/02/marine-corps-expeditionary-plan-is.html Wyatt, David K. Thailand: A Short History. Chiang Mai , Thailand: Silkworm Books

  13. Molecular genetic diversity of the Saccharomyces yeasts in Taiwan: Saccharomyces arboricola, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces kudriavzevii.

    PubMed

    Naumov, Gennadi I; Lee, Ching-Fu; Naumova, Elena S

    2013-01-01

    Genetic hybridization, sequence and karyotypic analyses of natural Saccharomyces yeasts isolated in different regions of Taiwan revealed three biological species: Saccharomyces arboricola, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces kudriavzevii. Intraspecies variability of the D1/D2 and ITS1 rDNA sequences was detected among S. cerevisiae and S. kudriavzevii isolates. According to molecular and genetic analyses, the cosmopolitan species S. cerevisiae and S. kudriavzevii contain local divergent populations in Taiwan, Malaysia and Japan. Six of the seven known Saccharomyces species are documented in East Asia: S. arboricola, S. bayanus, S. cerevisiae, S. kudriavzevii, S. mikatae, and S. paradoxus.

  14. International study on antidepressant prescription pattern at 20 teaching hospitals and major psychiatric institutions in East Asia: Analysis of 1898 cases from China, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Uchida, Naoki; Chong, Mian-Yoon; Tan, Chay Hoon; Nagai, Hiroshi; Tanaka, Mariko; Lee, Min-Soo; Fujii, Senta; Yang, Shu-Yu; Si, Tainmei; Sim, Kang; Wei, Hao; Ling, He Yan; Nishimura, Ryoji; Kawaguchi, Yoshichika; Edwards, Glen; Sartorius, Norman; Shinfuku, Naotaka

    2007-10-01

    The purpose of the present study was to review the prescription patterns of antidepressants in different countries in East Asia. The survey was conducted in China, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan from October 2003 to March 2004 using the unified research protocol and questionnaire. Twenty teaching hospitals and major psychiatric hospitals participated and a total of 1898 patients receiving antidepressants were analyzed. The survey provided a number of interesting characteristics on the prescription patterns of antidepressant in East Asia. Out of 56 antidepressants listed in the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification (ATC) index by the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center for Drug Statistics Methodology (Oslo), only 26 antidepressants were prescribed in participating countries in East Asia. On average 38.4% of prescriptions of antidepressants were for patients with diagnoses other than depressive disorders. The availability and commonly prescribed antidepressants varied greatly by country. The selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI) and other newer antidepressants were prescribed in approximately 77.0% of all cases. At the time of the survey, only two SSRI medications were available in Japan. However, five types of SSRI were available and were often prescribed in Korea.

  15. Categorizing the telehealth policy response of countries and their implications for complementarity of telehealth policy.

    PubMed

    Varghese, Sunil; Scott, Richard E

    2004-01-01

    Developing countries are exploring the role of telehealth to overcome the challenges of providing adequate health care services. However, this process faces disparities, and no complementarity in telehealth policy development. Telehealth has the potential to transcend geopolitical boundaries, yet telehealth policy developed in one jurisdiction may hamper applications in another. Understanding such policy complexities is essential for telehealth to realize its full global potential. This study investigated 12 East Asian countries that may represent a microcosm of the world, to determine if the telehealth policy response of countries could be categorized, and whether any implications could be identified for the development of complementary telehealth policy. The countries were Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Three categories of country response were identified in regard to national policy support and development. The first category was "None" (Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam) where international partners, driven by humanitarian concerns, lead telehealth activity. The second category was "Proactive" (China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand) where national policies were designed with the view that telehealth initiatives are a component of larger development objectives. The third was "Reactive" (Hong Kong and Japan), where policies were only proffered after telehealth activities were sustainable. It is concluded that although complementarity of telehealth policy development is not occurring, increased interjurisdictional telehealth activity, regional clusters, and concerted and coordinated effort amongst researchers, practitioners, and policy makers may alter this trend.

  16. What are the appropriate indicators of surgical difficulty during laparoscopic cholecystectomy? Results from a Japan-Korea-Taiwan multinational survey.

    PubMed

    Iwashita, Yukio; Ohyama, Tetsuji; Honda, Goro; Hibi, Taizo; Yoshida, Masahiro; Miura, Fumihiko; Takada, Tadahiro; Han, Ho-Seong; Hwang, Tsann-Long; Shinya, Satoshi; Suzuki, Kenji; Umezawa, Akiko; Yoon, Yoo-Seok; Choi, In-Seok; Huang, Wayne Shih-Wei; Chen, Kuo-Hsin; Watanabe, Manabu; Abe, Yuta; Misawa, Takeyuki; Nagakawa, Yuichi; Yoon, Dong-Sup; Jang, Jin-Young; Yu, Hee Chul; Ahn, Keun Soo; Kim, Song Cheol; Song, In Sang; Kim, Ji Hoon; Yun, Sung Su; Choi, Seong Ho; Jan, Yi-Yin; Sheen-Chen, Shyr-Ming; Shan, Yan-Shen; Ker, Chen-Guo; Chan, De-Chuan; Lee, King-Teh; Toyota, Naoyuki; Higuchi, Ryota; Nakamura, Yoshiharu; Mizuguchi, Yoshiaki; Takeda, Yutaka; Ito, Masahiro; Norimizu, Shinji; Yamada, Shigetoshi; Matsumura, Naoki; Shindoh, Junichi; Sunagawa, Hiroki; Hasegawa, Hiroshi; Rikiyama, Toshiki; Sata, Naohiro; Kano, Nobuyasu; Kitano, Seigo; Tokumura, Hiromi; Yamashita, Yuichi; Watanabe, Goro; Nakagawa, Kunitoshi; Kimura, Taizo; Yamakawa, Tatsuo; Wakabayashi, Go; Endo, Itaru; Miyazaki, Masaru; Yamamoto, Masakazu

    2016-09-01

    Serious complications continue to occur in laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). The commonly used indicators of surgical difficulty such as the duration of surgery are insufficient because they are surgeon and institution dependent. We aimed to identify appropriate indicators of surgical difficulty during LC. A total of 26 Japanese expert LC surgeons discussed using the nominal group technique (NGT) to generate a list of intraoperative findings that contribute to surgical difficulty. Thereafter, a survey was circulated to 61 experts in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. The questionnaire addressed LC experience, surgical strategy, and perceptions of 30 intraoperative findings listed by the NGT. The response rate of the survey was 100%. There was a statistically significant difference among nations regarding the duration of surgery and adoption rate of safety measures and recognition of landmarks. The criteria for conversion to an open or subtotal cholecystectomy were at the discretion of each surgeon. In contrast, perceptions of the impact of 30 intraoperative findings on surgical difficulty (categorized by factors related to inflammation and additional findings of the gallbladder and other intra-abdominal factors) were consistent among surgeons. Intraoperative findings are objective and considered to be appropriate indicators of surgical difficulty during LC. © 2016 Japanese Society of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery.

  17. Interpersonal Trust across Six Asia-Pacific Countries: Testing and Extending the ‘High Trust Society’ and ‘Low Trust Society’ Theory

    PubMed Central

    Ward, Paul R.; Mamerow, Loreen; Meyer, Samantha B.

    2014-01-01

    Background Trust is regarded as a necessary component for the smooth running of society, although societal and political modernising processes have been linked to an increase in mistrust, potentially signalling social and economic problems. Fukuyama developed the notion of ‘high trust’ and ‘low trust’ societies, as a way of understanding trust within different societies. The purpose of this paper is to empirically test and extend Fukuyama’s theory utilising data on interpersonal trust in Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Australia and Thailand. This paper focuses on trust in family, neighbours, strangers, foreigners and people with a different religion. Methods Cross-sectional surveys were undertaken in 2009–10, with an overall sample of 6331. Analyses of differences in overall levels of trust between countries were undertaken using Chi square analyses. Multivariate binomial logistic regression analysis was undertaken to identify socio-demographic predictors of trust in each country. Results Our data indicate a tripartite trust model: ‘high trust’ in Australia and Hong Kong; ‘medium trust’ in Japan and Taiwan; and ‘low trust’ in South Korea and Thailand. Trust in family and neighbours were very high across all countries, although trust in people with a different religion, trust in strangers and trust in foreigners varied considerably between countries. The regression models found a consistent group of subpopulations with low trust across the countries: people on low incomes, younger people and people with poor self-rated health. The results were conflicting for gender: females had lower trust in Thailand and Hong Kong, although in Australia, males had lower trust in strangers, whereas females had lower trust in foreigners. Conclusion This paper identifies high, medium and low trust societies, in addition to high and low trusting population subgroups. Our analyses extend the seminal work of Fukuyama, providing both corroboration and

  18. Thailand: World Oil Report 1991

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

    Khin, J.A.

    This paper reports that, out of 104 new concessions offered during 1990 by the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) in Thailand, 33 concession blocks were recently awarded to 17 oil companies. Thailand and Vietnam also agreed last December to set up a joint committee as soon as possible to study exploration possibilities in the overlapping area both claim in the eastern Gulf of Thailand. PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP) also is planning the joint development of an offshore area claimed by Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. If it materializes, all benefits and costs will be split three ways. The area betweenmore » Thailand and Cambodia is thought to have high potential for hydrocarbons.« less

  19. A Comparative Study of Scientific Publications in Health Care Sciences and Services from Mainland China, Taiwan, Japan, and India (2007-2014).

    PubMed

    Lv, Yipeng; Tang, Bihan; Liu, Xu; Xue, Chen; Liu, Yuan; Kang, Peng; Zhang, Lulu

    2015-12-24

    In this study, we aimed to compare the quantity and quality of publications in health care sciences and services journals from the Chinese mainland, Taiwan, Japan, and India. Journals in this category of the Science Citation Index Expanded were included in the study. Scientific papers were retrieved from the Web of Science online database. Quality was measured according to impact factor, citation of articles, number of articles published in top 10 journals, and the 10 most popular journals by country (area). In the field of health care sciences and services, the annual incremental rates of scientific articles published from 2007 to 2014 were higher than rates of published scientific articles in all fields. Researchers from the Chinese mainland published the most original articles and reviews and had the highest accumulated impact factors, highest total article citations, and highest average citation. Publications from India had the highest average impact factor. In the field of health care sciences and services, China has made remarkable progress during the past eight years in the annual number and percentage of scientific publications. Yet, there is room for improvement in the quantity and quality of such articles.

  20. Seismicity of the Earth 1900-2007, Japan and Vicinity

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rhea, Susan; Tarr, Arthur C.; Hayes, Gavin P.; Villaseñor, Antonio; Benz, Harley

    2010-01-01

    This map shows details of Japan and vicinity not visible in an earlier publication, U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 3064. Japan and its island possessions lie across four major tectonic plates: Pacific plate, North America plate; Eurasia plate; and Philippine Sea plate. The Pacific plate is subducted into the mantle, beneath Hokkaido and northern Honshu, along the eastern margin of the Okhotsk microplate, a proposed subdivision of the North America plate (Bird, 2003). Farther south, the pacific plate is subducted beneath volcanic islands along the eastern margin of the Philippine Sea plate. This 2,200 km-long zone of subduction of the Pacific plate is responsible for the creation of the deep offshore Ogasawara and Japan trenches as well as parallel chains of islands and volcanoes, typical of the Circumpacific island arcs. Similarly, the Philippine Sea plate is itself subducting under the Eurasia plate along a zone, extending from Taiwan to southern Honshu, that comprises the Ryuku Islands and the Nansei-Shonto trench.

  1. Review: Progress in rotational ground-motion observations from explosions and local earthquakes in Taiwan

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lee, William H K.; Huang, Bor-Shouh; Langston, Charles A.; Lin, Chin-Jen; Liu, Chun-Chi; Shin, Tzay-Chyn; Teng, Ta-Liang; Wu, Chien-Fu

    2009-01-01

    Rotational motions generated by large earthquakes in the far field have been successfully measured, and observations agree well with the classical elasticity theory. However, recent rotational measurements in the near field of earthquakes in Japan and in Taiwan indicate that rotational ground motions are 10 to 100 times larger than expected from the classical elasticity theory. The near-field strong-motion records of the 1999 Mw 7.6 Chi-Chi, Taiwan, earthquake suggest that the ground motions along the 100 km rupture are complex. Some rather arbitrary baseline corrections are necessary in order to obtain reasonable displacement values from double integration of the acceleration data. Because rotational motions can contaminate acceleration observations due to the induced perturbation of the Earth’s gravitational field, we started a modest program to observe rotational ground motions in Taiwan.Three papers have reported the rotational observations in Taiwan: (1) at the HGSD station (Liu et al., 2009), (2) at the N3 site from two TAiwan Integrated GEodynamics Research (TAIGER) explosions (Lin et al., 2009), and (3) at the Taiwan campus of the National Chung-Cheng University (NCCU) (Wu et al., 2009). In addition, Langston et al. (2009) reported the results of analyzing the TAIGER explosion data. As noted by several authors before, we found a linear relationship between peak rotational rate (PRR in mrad/sec) and peak ground acceleration (PGA in m/sec2) from local earthquakes in Taiwan, PRR=0.002+1.301 PGA, with a correlation coefficient of 0.988.

  2. Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-01-22

    13 U.S.-Thailand FTA Negotiations ...regime.34 U.S.-Thailand FTA Negotiations In October 2003, President Bush and Thaksin announced the intention to negotiate a U.S.- Thailand FTA ...According to Thailand’s Office of Commercial Affairs, as of July 12, 2007, U.S.- Thailand FTA negotiations have been indefinitely delayed. Even before the

  3. Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-05-19

    Economic Relations............................................................................ 14 U.S.-Thailand FTA Negotiations ...U.S.-Thailand FTA Negotiations In October 2003, President Bush and Thaksin announced the intention to negotiate a U.S.- Thailand FTA . According to...Thailand’s Office of Commercial Affairs, as of July 12, 2007, U.S.- Thailand FTA negotiations have been indefinitely delayed. Even before the suspension

  4. Cholangiocarcinoma: Lessons from Thailand

    PubMed Central

    Sripa, Banchob; Pairojkul, Chawalit

    2014-01-01

    Purpose of the review To present the background of liver fluke-associated cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) in Thailand focusing on recent epidemiological data and pathogenesis of this bile duct cancer. Recent findings More systematic tumor registration in Thailand nowadays uncovers new high incidence areas that do not confine to only in the northeastern part but also some provinces in the northern Thailand. The link between the liver fluke, Opisthorchis viverrini, and CCA, particularly in the cellular and molecular pathogenesis is more elucidated. Summary Thailand is still the country with highest incidence of CCA in the world. Liver fluke induces chronic inflammation leading to oxidative DNA damage of the infected biliary epithelium and malignant transformation. Eradication of the fluke and identification of high risk population are urgently needed. PMID:18408464

  5. Effect of mesoscale eddies on the Taiwan Strait Current

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chang, Y. L.; Miyazawa, Y.; Guo, X.

    2016-02-01

    This study shows that mesoscale eddies can alter the Taiwan Strait current. The 20-year data-assimilated Japan Coastal Ocean Predictability Experiment 2 (JCOPE2) reanalysis data are analyzed, and the results are confirmed with idealized experiments. The leading wind-forced seasonal cycle is excluded to focus on the effect of the eddy. The warm eddy southwest of Taiwan is shown to generate a northward flow, whereas the cold eddy produces a southward current. The effect of the eddy penetrates onto the shelf through the Joint Effect of Baroclinicity and Relief (JEBAR). The cross-isobath fluxes lead to shelfward convergence and divergence, setting up the modulation of the sea level slope. The resulting along-strait current anomaly eventually affects a wide area of the Taiwan Strait. The stronger eddy leads to larger modification of the cross-shelf flows and sea level slope, producing a greater transport anomaly. The composite Sea-Viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) serves as an indicator to show the change in Chl-a concentration in the strait in response to the eddy-induced current. During the warm eddy period, the current carries the southern water of lower concentration northward, reducing Chl-a concentration in the strait. In contrast, Chl-a is enhanced because the cold eddy-induced southward current carries the northern water of higher concentration southward into the strait.

  6. Evaluation of environmental fate and sinks of PCDD/Fs during specific extreme weather events in Taiwan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chi, Kai Hsien; Lin, Chuan-Yao; Ou Yang, Chang-Feng; Hsu, Shih Chieh; Chen, Ya Fang; Luo, Shangde; Kao, Shuh Ji

    2013-11-01

    Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that are formed and released unintentionally from anthropogenic sources. The high persistence of PCDD/Fs results in the concentrations of these contaminants in environment decreasing only very slowly. Two transport pathways, air and water, carry PCDD/Fs into all regions of the world. Recently, more frequent extreme weather events, such as storms and floods, have been projected to occur as a result of global warming. Extreme weather events have a documented impact on the remobilization and subsequent bioavailability of POPs. In this study, three specific episodes, namely winter monsoon, southeast biomass burning and tropical cyclone (typhoon) events, which influence the environmental fate and transport of PCDD/Fs in Taiwan, were evaluated based on a climate change scenario. During the winter (northeast) monsoon period, the temperature and relative humidity observed in northern Taiwan decreases sharply. During this time, the quantity of PCDD/Fs adsorbed onto suspended particles, as observed at background sites, was found to increase from 300 ± 127 to 630 ± 115 pg I-TEQ g-TSP-1, which is even higher than that measured in Taipei City (438 ± 80 pg I-TEQ g-TSP-1). Hence, the winter monsoon not only brings cold air but also transports air pollutants and dust over long distances from mainland China to Taiwan. During the 2010 Southeast Asia biomass burning events (2010/3/22-3/28), the level of atmospheric PCDD/Fs were measured in central Taiwan (Mt. Lulin) and in the source region of northern Thailand (Chiang Mai); this revealed that the variations in atmospheric PCDD/F concentrations at these two sites followed a similar pattern. On 25 March 2010, the atmospheric PCDD/F concentration increased dramatically from 1.43 to 6.09 fg I-TEQ m-3 at Mt. Lulin and from 7.64 to 12.1 fg I-TEQ m-3 in northern Thailand. However, the atmospheric PCDD

  7. 78 FR 15703 - Certain Hot-Rolled Carbon Steel Flat Products From India, Indonesia, the People's Republic of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-03-12

    ...-835, A-549-817, A-823-811] Certain Hot-Rolled Carbon Steel Flat Products From India, Indonesia, the... steel flat products from India, Indonesia, the People's Republic of China (PRC), Taiwan, Thailand, and... steel flat products from India, Indonesia, the PRC, Taiwan, Thailand, and Ukraine, pursuant to section...

  8. Scientific publications in laboratory medicine from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan: A ten-year survey of the literature.

    PubMed

    Liu, Ding-Hua; Cui, Wei; Yao, Yun-Tai; Jiang, Qi-Qi

    2010-10-09

    We investigated scientific publications in laboratory medicine originating from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan over the past 10 years. The information about articles published in the included journals were determined by computer-searching on PubMed and data were extracted independently and analyzed in relation to the number of articles. From 2000 to 2009 there were 1166 articles published in laboratory medicine journals from the major Chinese regions (mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan). This exceeded Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom and France from 2005 onwards. Also, the number of articles from mainland China exceeded those from Hong Kong and Taiwan from 2004 onwards. The average impact factor (IF) from Hong Kong ranked the first, followed by mainland China, and then Taiwan. Clinica Chimica Acta seems to be the most popular laboratory medicine journal among Chinese authors. Over the past 10 years, Chinese authors have been more and more active in the field of laboratory medicine. Mainland China seems to have caught up to Hong Kong and Taiwan regarding publication of papers in this field. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Spatial distribution of non volcanic tremors offshore eastern Taiwan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xie, X. S.; Lin, J. Y.; Hsu, S. K.; Lee, C. H.; Liang, C. W.

    2012-04-01

    Non-volcanic tremor (NVT), originally identified in the subduction zone of the southwest Japan, have been well studied in the circum-Pacific subduction zones and the transform plate boundary in California. Most studies related NVT to the release of fluids, while some others associated them with slow-slip events, and can be triggered instantaneously by the surface waves of teleseismic events. Taiwan is located at a complex intersection of the Philippines Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate. East of Taiwan, the Philippine Sea plate subducts northward beneath the Ryukyu arc. The major part of the island results from the strong convergence between the two plates and the convergent boundary is along the Longitudinal Valley. Moreover, an active strike-slip fault along the Taitung Canyon was reported in the offshore eastern Taiwan. In such complicate tectonic environments, NVT behavior could probably bring us more information about the interaction of all the geological components in the area. In this study, we analyze the seismic signals recorded by the Ocean bottom Seismometer (OBS) deployed offshore eastern Taiwan in September 2009. TAMS (Tremor Active Monitor System) software was used to detect the presence of NVT. 200 tremor-like signals were obtained from the 3 weeks recording period. We use the SSA (Source-Scanning Algorithm) to map the possible distribution of the tremor. In total, 180 tremors were located around the eastern offshore Taiwan. The tremors are mainly distributed in two source areas: one is along the Taitung Canyon, and the other is sub-parallel to the Ryukyu Trench, probably along the plate interface. Many tremors are located at depth shallower than 5 km, which suggests a possible existence of a weak basal detachment along the sea bottom. Other tremors with larger depth may be related to the dehydration of the subducting sea plate as suggested by the former studies. Limited by the short recording period of the OBS experiment, we could not obtain any

  10. A Comparative Study of Scientific Publications in Health Care Sciences and Services from Mainland China, Taiwan, Japan, and India (2007–2014)

    PubMed Central

    Lv, Yipeng; Tang, Bihan; Liu, Xu; Xue, Chen; Liu, Yuan; Kang, Peng; Zhang, Lulu

    2015-01-01

    In this study, we aimed to compare the quantity and quality of publications in health care sciences and services journals from the Chinese mainland, Taiwan, Japan, and India. Journals in this category of the Science Citation Index Expanded were included in the study. Scientific papers were retrieved from the Web of Science online database. Quality was measured according to impact factor, citation of articles, number of articles published in top 10 journals, and the 10 most popular journals by country (area). In the field of health care sciences and services, the annual incremental rates of scientific articles published from 2007 to 2014 were higher than rates of published scientific articles in all fields. Researchers from the Chinese mainland published the most original articles and reviews and had the highest accumulated impact factors, highest total article citations, and highest average citation. Publications from India had the highest average impact factor. In the field of health care sciences and services, China has made remarkable progress during the past eight years in the annual number and percentage of scientific publications. Yet, there is room for improvement in the quantity and quality of such articles. PMID:26712774

  11. Molecular surveillance of rubella viruses in Taiwan from 2005 to 2011.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Wen-Yueh; Wang, Hsiao-Chi; Liu, Ming-Tsan; Wu, Ho-Sheng

    2013-04-01

    Rubella has been listed as a mandatory notifiable disease in Taiwan since 1988. Because of high coverage rates with an effective vaccine, rubella cases have decreased dramatically in Taiwan since 1994. However, rubella outbreaks still occur due to imported transmission. Five large clusters were detected in Taiwan from 2007 to 2011. In 2007, one cluster was caused by rubella genotype 1E viruses that were imported from Vietnam, whereas another cluster was caused by genotype 2B viruses and was untraceable. In 2008, two clusters were caused by different lineages of genotype 1E viruses that were imported from Malaysia. In 2009, a cluster that was caused by genotype 2B viruses was associated with imported cases from Vietnam. The rubella viruses from 124 confirmed cases from 2005 to 2011 were characterized, and the data revealed that these viruses were distributed in the following four genotypes: 1E (n = 56), 1h (n = 1), 1j (n = 4), and 2B (n = 63). Of these viruses, 93 (75%) were associated with imported cases, and 43 of 56 genotype 1E viruses were associated with imported cases from China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia. One genotype 1h virus was imported from Belarus, and three of four genotype 1j viruses were imported from the Philippines. Of 63 rubella genotype 2B viruses, 46 were imported from Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, China, Germany, and South Africa. Molecular surveillance allows for the differentiation of circulating rubella viruses and can be used to investigate transmission pathways, which are important to identify the interruption of endemic virus transmission. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Review of the biology, ecology, and management of Halyomorpha halys (Stal) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in China, Japan and Korea

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Native to China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stal) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), was accidently introduced into the United States in the mid-1990s. Since establishing in the United States, this invasive species has caused significant economic losses in...

  13. Fukushima-derived fission nuclides monitored around Taiwan: Free tropospheric versus boundary layer transport

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huh, Chih-An; Hsu, Shih-Chieh; Lin, Chuan-Yao

    2012-02-01

    The 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan was the worst nuclear disaster following the 1986 Chernobyl accident. Fission products (nuclides) released from the Fukushima plant site since March 12, 2011 had been detected around the northern hemisphere in about two weeks and also in the southern hemisphere about one month later. We report here detailed time series of radioiodine and radiocesium isotopes monitored in a regional network around Taiwan, including one high-mountain and three ground-level sites. Our results show several pulses of emission from a sequence of accidents in the Fukushima facility, with the more volatile 131I released preferentially over 134Cs and 137Cs at the beginning. In the middle of the time series, there was a pronounced peak of radiocesium observed in northern Taiwan, with activity concentrations of 134Cs and 137Cs far exceeding that of 131I during that episode. From the first arrival time of these fission nuclides and their spatial and temporal variations at our sampling sites and elsewhere, we suggest that Fukushima-derived radioactive nuclides were transported to Taiwan and its vicinity via two pathways at different altitudes. One was transported in the free troposphere by the prevailing westerly winds around the globe; the other was transported in the planetary boundary layer by the northeast monsoon wind directly toward Taiwan.

  14. Does Marriage Really Matter to Health? Intra- and Inter-Country Evidence from China, Japan, Taiwan, and the Republic of Korea

    PubMed Central

    Chung, Woojin; Kim, Roeul

    2014-01-01

    Background The health benefits of marriage have been demonstrated mainly by studies on Western populations. This study aims to test whether the benefits are also valid in East Asian populations. Methodology/Principal Findings Individuals (n = 8,538) from China, Japan, Taiwan, and the Republic of Korea were sampled from the 2006 East Asian Social Survey. The association between self-rated health status and two marriage-related independent variables was analyzed using multivariate logistic regression models. In a two-level analysis for individuals from all countries, married individuals were more likely to report very good or good health compared to their never-married counterparts [odds ratio (OR) 1.56; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.16−2.10]. However, the addition of marital satisfaction disintegrated the significant association of marriage with self-rated health. Married individuals in satisfying marriages were more likely to report very good or good health compared with never-married individuals (OR 1.85; 95% CI 1.37−2.50). In contrast, married individuals in dissatisfying marriages were as likely to report very good or good health as never-married individuals (OR 0.78; 95% CI 0.50−1.24). In a one-level analysis for each country, the importance of marital satisfaction varied greatly across countries. Unlike in other countries, in Japan, married individuals in dissatisfying marriages were about half as likely to report very good or good health as never-married individuals (OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.31−0.83), thereby showing no significant benefits from marriage with regard to self-rated health. Conclusion/Significance The present study of East Asian countries suggests that marital satisfaction is of greater importance in determining self-rated health than marriage itself, and that the importance of marital satisfaction varies across countries. Further research is required to better understand the relationship between marital satisfaction and self

  15. A Revision of the Adult and Larval Mosquitoes of Japan (Including the Ryukyu Archipelago and the Ogasawara Islands) and Korea (Diptera: Culicidae)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1979-01-01

    Ryukyu Archipelago Ogasawara and Volcano islands Prefectures of Japan (large bold numerals) 13. Hyogo 14. Ibaraki 15. Ishikawa 16. Iwate 17...Kishimoto, 1969: 33, Haneji and Ishikawa , Okinawa Is. ; &omi and Sonae, Iriomote Is. ; Ryukyu Archipelago. Descriptions based on specimens from Taiwan...d, 9, P, L). Type-locality: Mt. Hakusan, Ishikawa Pref., Japan. FEMALE (Fig. 216). Wing length 5.1-5.4 mm. Head. Eyes narrowly narrowly separated

  16. Structure of Benthic Communities along the Taiwan Latitudinal Gradient

    PubMed Central

    De Palmas, Stéphane; Kuo, Chao-Yang; Hsieh, Hernyi Justin; Chen, Chaolun Allen

    2016-01-01

    The distribution and the structure of benthic assemblages vary with latitude. However, few studies have described benthic communities along large latitudinal gradients, and patterns of variation are not fully understood. Taiwan, lying between 21.90°N and 25.30°N, is located at the center of the Philippine-Japan arc and lies at the northern margin of coral reef development. A wide range of habitats is distributed along this latitudinal gradient, from extensive fringing coral reefs at the southern coast to non-reefal communities at the north. In this study, we examined the structure of benthic communities around Taiwan, by comparing its assemblages in four regions, analyzing the effects of the latitudinal gradient, and highlighting regional characteristics. A total of 25 sites, 125 transects, and 2,625 photographs were used to analyze the benthic communities. Scleractinian corals present an obvious gradient of increasing diversity from north to south, whereas macro-algae diversity is higher on the north-eastern coast. At the country scale, Taiwanese coral communities were dominated by turf algae (49%). At the regional scale, we observed an important heterogeneity that may be caused by local disturbances and habitat degradation that smooths out regional differences. In this context, our observations highlight the importance of managing local stressors responsible for reef degradation. Overall, this study provides an important baseline upon which future changes in benthic assemblages around Taiwan can be assessed. PMID:27513665

  17. White spot syndrome virus epizootic in cultured Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone) in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Cheng, L; Lin, W-H; Wang, P-C; Tsai, M-A; Hsu, J-P; Chen, S-C

    2013-12-01

    White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) has caused significant losses in shrimp farms worldwide. Between 2004 and 2006, Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone) were collected from 220 farms in Taiwan to determine the prevalence and impact of WSSV infection on the shrimp farm industry. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis detected WSSV in shrimp from 26% of farms. Juvenile shrimp farms had the highest infection levels (38%; 19/50 farms) and brooder shrimp farms had the lowest (5%; one of 20 farms). The average extent of infection at each farm was as follows for WSSV-positive farms: post-larvae farms, 71%; juvenile farms, 61%; subadult farms, 62%; adult farms, 49%; and brooder farms, 40%. Characteristic white spots, hypertrophied nuclei and basophilic viral inclusion bodies were found in the epithelia of gills and tail fans, appendages, cephalothorax and hepatopancreas, and virions of WSSV were observed. Of shrimp that had WSSV lesions, 100% had lesions on the cephalothorax, 96% in gills and tail fans, 91% on appendages and 17% in the hepatopancreas. WSSV was also detected in copepoda and crustaceans from the shrimp farms. Sequence comparison using the pms146 gene fragment of WSSV showed that isolates from the farms had 99.7-100% nucleotide sequence identity with four strains in the GenBank database--China (AF332093), Taiwan (AF440570 and U50923) and Thailand (AF369029). This is the first broad study of WSSV infection in L. vannamei in Taiwan. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Potato production in Thailand

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Potato production has increased dramatically in recent years in Thailand. Consumer demand for fresh and processed potatoes has driven this trend. Most potatoes are produced in northern Thailand in either double cropping highland zones or as a single winter crop following rice in lowland regions. Maj...

  19. Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-06-21

    15 U.S.-Thailand FTA Negotiations ...arrest of a radical Islamic leader in a joint Thai-U.S. operation. The start of negotiations in June 2004 for a U.S.-Thailand Free Trade Agreement ( FTA ...improvements in Thai customs practices, and lack of transparency and efficiency in the customs regime.35 U.S.-Thailand FTA Negotiations In October 2003

  20. Unique parallel radiations of high-mountainous species of the genus Sedum (Crassulaceae) on the continental island of Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Ito, Takuro; Yu, Chih-Chieh; Nakamura, Koh; Chung, Kuo-Fang; Yang, Qin-Er; Fu, Cheng-Xin; Qi, Zhe-Chen; Kokubugata, Goro

    2017-08-01

    We explored the temporal and spatial diversification of the plant genus Sedum L. (Crassulaceae) in Taiwan based on molecular analysis of nrITS and cpDNA sequences from East Asian Sedum members. Our phylogenetic and ancestral area reconstruction analysis showed that Taiwanese Sedum comprised two lineages that independently migrated from Japan and Eastern China. Furthermore, the genetic distances among species in these two clades were smaller than those of other East Asian Sedum clades, and the Taiwanese members of each clade occupy extremely varied habitats with similar niches in high-mountain regions. These data indicate that species diversification occurred in parallel in the two Taiwanese Sedum lineages, and that these parallel radiations could have occurred within the small continental island of Taiwan. Moreover, the estimated time of divergence for Taiwanese Sedum indicates that the two radiations might have been correlated to the formation of mountains in Taiwan during the early Pleistocene. We suggest that these parallel radiations may be attributable to the geographical dynamics of Taiwan and specific biological features of Sedum that allow them to adapt to new ecological niches. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Sediment characteristics and provenance of the Taiwan Shoal in the southern Taiwan Strait

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koo, W. S.; Lin, A. T.; Kuo, L. W.; Lee, Y. H.

    2016-12-01

    The Taiwan Shoal in the southern Taiwan Strait exhibits a lobe-shaped shallow water area, with a depth less than around 40 m and an area approximately of 13,000 km2. The Shoal consists of relict sediments remnant from deltaic deposits during the last glacial period and associated with the paleo-Min River. We collected seafloor sediments in and around the Taiwan Shoal to study the sediment characteristics and provenance of the Shoal as well as Taiwanese river sediments to characterize sediment sourced from southern Taiwan. Our results help to understand possible sediment delivery pathways in a source-to-sink context from the southern Taiwan Strait to the northern South China Sea. The method of X-ray diffraction is used to identify mineral compositions for muds and mineral compositions are examined under polarized microscope for sands. Zircon grains are separated from heavy minerals for U-Pb dating in order to understand the sediment source terranes. Sediments of the Taiwan Shoal are mostly tawny-colored, medium to coarse-grained sands with abundant shell fragments and shallow-water benthic foraminifera. Sediments to the south of the Taiwan Shoal and in the outer shelf consist of dark brown-colored and fine-grained sands with rare shell fragments. Siliciclastic compositions of the Taiwan Shoal sediments are mostly quartz. The second abundant composition is rock fragments with more occurrences near the Chinese coastline and the Penghu archipelago. Slate fragments are found to occur near Taiwan, especially in the Penghu Channel area. Clay minerals from the Penghu Channels and south of the Taiwan Shoal are dominated by illite and chlorite with minor smectite and kaolinite. The sediment colors and mineral species are very different for the sediments of the Taiwan Shoal and outer shelf, revealing that these two areas featuring different oceanographic processes and sediment provenance.

  2. Taiwan`s experience with municipal waste recycling

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

    Lee, C.H.

    1998-12-31

    Currently, each person on the average produces 1.15 kg of the municipal waste per day and a total of 9 million metric tons were generated annually in Taiwan. The disposal of such a huge amount of waste presents tremendous challenge for the island due to the scarcity of landfills and incineration facilities available locally. EPA of Taiwan, R.O.C. thus takes an active role in promoting waste recycling to reduce the garbage produced in municipalities. In order to efficiently utilize the government`s human and financial resources used in recycling, started from January 31, 1989, EPA has mandated the producer responsibility recyclingmore » program for several designated post-consumer products such as PET, PVC bottles, scrap tires, scrap motor vehicles, etc. Producer responsibility recycling program specifies that the manufacturers, importers and sellers of these designated products have the responsibility to retrieve their products and recycle them properly. Several negative effects have been encountered while the implementation of this producer responsibility recycling program in Taiwan which resulted in a modification of this recycling program recently. This paper presents the encountered experiences on the implementation of municipal waste recycling program in Taiwan.« less

  3. Cross-cultural comparison of workplace stressors, ways of coping and demographic characteristics as predictors of physical and mental health among hospital nurses in Japan, Thailand, South Korea and the USA (Hawaii).

    PubMed

    Lambert, Vickie A; Lambert, Clinton E; Itano, Joanne; Inouye, Jillian; Kim, Susie; Kuniviktikul, Wipada; Sitthimongkol, Yajai; Pongthavornkamol, Kanuangnit; Gasemgitvattana, Saipin; Ito, Misae

    2004-08-01

    In an attempt to cross-culturally compare factors that may contribute to the nursing shortage within countries that have produced a limited number of research findings on role stress in nurses, this research examined work stressors, ways of coping and demographic characteristics as predictors of physical and mental health among hospital nurses from Japan, South Korea, Thailand and the USA (Hawaii). Subjects (n = 1554 hospital-based nurses) were administered four self-report questionnaires: Demographic Questionnaire, "Nursing Stress Scale", "Ways of Coping Questionnaire" and "SF-36 Health Survey". Findings suggested that nurses indicated similar workplace stressors, ways of coping, and levels of physical and mental health. While subjects, across countries, demonstrated a variety of predictors of physical and mental health, several predictors were found to be the same. Cross-culturally the role of nurses may vary; however, certain factors are predictive of the status of hospital nurses' physical health and mental health. Copyright 2004 Elsevier Ltd.

  4. Review of mental-health-related stigma in Japan.

    PubMed

    Ando, Shuntaro; Yamaguchi, Sosei; Aoki, Yuta; Thornicroft, Graham

    2013-11-01

    The aim of this study is to understand the nature and characteristics of mental-health-related stigma among Japanese people. We searched relevant studies in English or Japanese published since 2001 using MEDLINE and PsycINFO, and found 19 studies that examined mental-health-related stigma in Japan. Regarding knowledge about mental illness, reviewed studies showed that in the Japanese general population, few people think that people can recover from mental disorders. Psychosocial factors, including weakness of personality, are often considered the cause of mental illness, rather than biological factors. In addition, the majority of the general public in Japan keep a greater social distance from individuals with mental illness, especially in close personal relationships. Schizophrenia is more stigmatized than depression, and its severity increases the stigmatizing attitude toward mental illness. The literature also showed an association between more direct social contact between health professionals and individuals with mental illness and less stigmatization by these professionals. Less stigmatization by mental health professionals may be associated with accumulation of clinical experience and daily contact with people who have mental illness. Stigmatizing attitudes in Japan are stronger than in Taiwan or Australia, possibly due to institutionalism, lack of national campaigns to tackle stigma, and/or society's valuing of conformity in Japan. Although educational programs appear to be effective in reducing mental-health-related stigma, future programs in Japan need to address problems regarding institutionalism and offer direct social contact with people with mental illness. © 2013 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2013 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.

  5. Taiwan Y-chromosomal DNA variation and its relationship with Island Southeast Asia

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Much of the data resolution of the haploid non-recombining Y chromosome (NRY) haplogroup O in East Asia are still rudimentary and could be an explanatory factor for current debates on the settlement history of Island Southeast Asia (ISEA). Here, 81 slowly evolving markers (mostly SNPs) and 17 Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats were used to achieve higher level molecular resolution. Our aim is to investigate if the distribution of NRY DNA variation in Taiwan and ISEA is consistent with a single pre-Neolithic expansion scenario from Southeast China to all ISEA, or if it better fits an expansion model from Taiwan (the OOT model), or whether a more complex history of settlement and dispersals throughout ISEA should be envisioned. Results We examined DNA samples from 1658 individuals from Vietnam, Thailand, Fujian, Taiwan (Han, plain tribes and 14 indigenous groups), the Philippines and Indonesia. While haplogroups O1a*-M119, O1a1*-P203, O1a2-M50 and O3a2-P201 follow a decreasing cline from Taiwan towards Western Indonesia, O2a1-M95/M88, O3a*-M324, O3a1c-IMS-JST002611 and O3a2c1a-M133 decline northward from Western Indonesia towards Taiwan. Compared to the Taiwan plain tribe minority groups the Taiwanese Austronesian speaking groups show little genetic paternal contribution from Han. They are also characterized by low Y-chromosome diversity, thus testifying for fast drift in these populations. However, in contrast to data provided from other regions of the genome, Y-chromosome gene diversity in Taiwan mountain tribes significantly increases from North to South. Conclusion The geographic distribution and the diversity accumulated in the O1a*-M119, O1a1*-P203, O1a2-M50 and O3a2-P201 haplogroups on one hand, and in the O2a1-M95/M88, O3a*-M324, O3a1c-IMS-JST002611 and O3a2c1a-M133 haplogroups on the other, support a pincer model of dispersals and gene flow from the mainland to the islands which likely started during the late upper Paleolithic, 18,000 to 15

  6. JPRS Report, East Asia, Southeast Asia

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-01-15

    Louangphachit [PASASON 18 Nov] ...., 21 MALAYSIA ECONOMIC Proton To Start Plant in Chile [BERITA HARIAN 14 Nov] 22 THAILAND MILITARY Opinion...increase its lobbying with EC countries. Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia , and Hong Kong conduct vigorous lobbying. Those countries have repeatedly sent...increase its lobbying efforts. He considered that Thailand, Taiwan, and Malaysia appeared to be more effective than Indonesia in lob- bying

  7. Asian herbal‐tobacco cigarettes: “not medicine but less harmful”?

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Aiyin; Glantz, Stanton; Tong, Elisa

    2007-01-01

    Objective To describe the development and health claims of Asian herbal‐tobacco cigarettes. Methods Analysis of international news sources, company websites, and the transnational tobacco companies' (TTC) documents. PubMed searches of herbs and brands. Results Twenty‐three brands were identified, mainly from China. Many products claimed to relieve respiratory symptoms and reduce toxins, with four herb‐only products advertised for smoking cessation. No literature was found to verify the health claims, except one Korean trial of an herb‐only product. Asian herbal‐tobacco cigarettes were initially produced by China by the 1970s and introduced to Japan in the 1980s. Despite initial news about research demonstrating a safer cigarette, the TTC analyses of these cigarettes suggest that these early products were not palatable and had potentially toxic cardiovascular effects. By the late 1990s, China began producing more herbal‐tobacco cigarettes in a renewed effort to reduce harmful constituents in cigarettes. After 2000, tobacco companies from Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand began producing similar products. Tobacco control groups in Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand voiced concern over the health claims of herbal‐tobacco products. In 2005, China designated two herbal‐tobacco brands as key for development. Conclusion Asian herbal‐tobacco cigarettes claim to reduce harm, but no published literature is available to verify these claims or investigate unidentified toxicities. The increase in Asian herbal‐tobacco cigarette production by 2000 coincides with the Asian tobacco companies' regular scientific meetings with TTCs and their interest in harm reduction. Asia faces additional challenges in tobacco control with these culturally concordant products that may discourage smokers from quitting. PMID:17400933

  8. Data Assimilation and Adjusted Spherical Harmonic Model of VTEC Map over Thailand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Klinngam, Somjai; Maruyama, Takashi; Tsugawa, Takuya; Ishii, Mamoru; Supnithi, Pornchai; Chiablaem, Athiwat

    2016-07-01

    The global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and high frequency (HF) communication are vulnerable to the ionospheric irregularities, especially when the signal travels through the low-latitude region and around the magnetic equator known as equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) region. In order to study the ionospheric effects to the communications performance in this region, the regional map of the observed total electron content (TEC) can show the characteristic and irregularities of the ionosphere. In this work, we develop the two-dimensional (2D) map of vertical TEC (VTEC) over Thailand using the adjusted spherical harmonic model (ASHM) and the data assimilation technique. We calculate the VTEC from the receiver independent exchange (RINEX) files recorded by the dual-frequency global positioning system (GPS) receivers on July 8th, 2012 (quiet day) at 12 stations around Thailand: 0° to 25°E and 95°N to 110°N. These stations are managed by Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning (DPT), Thailand, and the South East Asia Low-latitude ionospheric Network (SEALION) project operated by National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Japan, and King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL). We compute the median observed VTEC (OBS-VTEC) in the grids with the spatial resolution of 2.5°x5° in latitude and longitude and time resolution of 2 hours. We assimilate the OBS-VTEC with the estimated VTEC from the International Reference Ionosphere model (IRI-VTEC) as well as the ionosphere map exchange (IONEX) files provided by the International GNSS Service (IGS-VTEC). The results show that the estimation of the 15-degree ASHM can be improved when both of IRI-VTEC and IGS-VTEC are weighted by the latitude-dependent factors before assimilating with the OBS-VTEC. However, the IRI-VTEC assimilation can improve the ASHM estimation more than the IGS-VTEC assimilation. Acknowledgment: This work is partially funded by the

  9. Taiwan Regulation of Biobanks.

    PubMed

    Fan, Chien-Te; Hung, Tzu-Hsun; Yeh, Chan-Kun

    2015-01-01

    This paper introduces legal framework and governance structure in relation to the management and development of biobanks in Taiwan. At first, we briefly describe Taiwan's population, political system and health care system. Secondly, this research introduces biobanking framework of Taiwan including 25 biobanks established with the approval of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. In those biobanks, "Taiwan Biobank" is the first and the largest government-supported biobank which comprises population-based cohort study and disease- oriented study. Since the collection of information, data, and biological specimen of biobanks often involve highly sensitive personal information, in the legal framework of Taiwan, there is a specific regulation, "Human Biobank Management Act" (HBMA), which plays an important role in regulating biobanks in Taiwan. HBMA, the Personal Information Act and other regulations constitute a comprehensive legal and regulatory privacy framework of biobanks. Through the introduction and analysis of the current legal framework applicable to biobanks, we found that there are several challenges that need to be solved appropriately that involve duplicate review systems, the obstacles in the international collaboration, and data sharing between biobanks in Taiwan. © 2015 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

  10. Taiwan: Background Notes Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reams, Joanne Reppert

    Concise background information on Taiwan is provided. The publication begins with a profile of Taiwan, discussing the people, geography, political establishment, and economy. A map of the country is provided. The bulk of the publication then provides more detailed information on Taiwan's people, geography, history, administration, political…

  11. The nuclear disaster management system in Taiwan: a case study of the third (Maanshan) nuclear power plant.

    PubMed

    Yang, Yung-Nane

    2016-07-01

    This paper explores the effectiveness of the nuclear disaster management system in Taiwan via a review of the third (Maanshan) nuclear power plant. In doing so, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan on 11 March 2011 is reviewed and compared with the situation in Taiwan. The latter's nuclear disaster management system is examined with respect to three key variables: information; mobilisation; and inter-organisational cooperation. In-depth interviews with 10 policy stakeholders with different backgrounds serve as the research method. The results point up the need for improvement in all dimensions. In addition, they highlight three principal problems with the nuclear disaster management system: (i) it might not be possible to provide first-hand nuclear disaster information immediately to the communities surrounding the Maanshan facility in Pingtung County, southern Taiwan; (ii) the availability of medical resources for treating radiation in Hengchun Township is limited; and (iii) the inter-organisational relationships for addressing nuclear disasters need to be strengthened. Hence, cooperation among related organisations is necessary. © 2016 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2016.

  12. Super Typhoon Halong off Taiwan

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2002-01-01

    On July 14, 2002, Super Typhoon Halong was east of Taiwan (left edge) in the western Pacific Ocean. At the time this image was taken the storm was a Category 4 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 115 knots (132 miles per hour), but as recently as July 12, winds were at 135 knots (155 miles per hour). Halong has moved northwards and pounded Okinawa, Japan, with heavy rain and high winds, just days after tropical Storm Chataan hit the country, creating flooding and killing several people. The storm is expected to be a continuing threat on Monday and Tuesday. This image was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Terra satellite on July 14, 2002. Please note that the high-resolution scene provided here is 500 meters per pixel. For a copy of the scene at the sensor's fullest resolution, visit the MODIS Rapid Response Image Gallery. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC

  13. Phenotypic and genetic characterizations of Streptococcus dysgalactiae strains isolated from fish collected in Japan and other Asian countries.

    PubMed

    Abdelsalam, Mohamed; Chen, Shih-Chu; Yoshida, Terutoyo

    2010-01-01

    Lancefield group C Streptococcus dysgalactiae is an emerging fish pathogen, which was first isolated in 2002 in Japan. Streptococcus dysgalactiae isolates collected from diseased fish in Japan (n=12), Taiwan (n=12), China (n=2), Malaysia (n=3), and Indonesia (n=1) were characterized using biased sinusoidal field gel electrophoresis (BSFGE), sodA gene sequence analysis, and antimicrobial susceptibility. These isolates exhibited high phenotypic homogeneity irrespective of the countries from where the strains were collected. Seventeen isolates were found to be resistant to oxytetracycline and carried the tet(M) gene, except for the strains collected in Taiwan and the PP1564 strain collected in China. The sodA gene sequence analysis revealed that 23 isolates were identical, except for one Japanese isolate (KNH07902), in which a single nucleotide differed from that of the other isolates. Based on BSFGE typing by ApaI macrorestriction, the isolates - including the Japanese, Taiwanese, and Chinese isolates - could be grouped into one main cluster at a 70% similarity level. However, the macrorestriction genotypes of some isolates were apparently distinct from those of the main cluster.

  14. Australia's double standard on Thailand's alcohol warning labels.

    PubMed

    O'Brien, Paula

    2013-01-01

    Since 2010, members of the World Trade Organization (WTO), including Australia, have opposed Thailand's proposal for graphic warnings on alcohol containers. This paper aims to provide an account of the arguments for/against Thailand and to examine the arguments' legal and political validity. This paper reviews primary WTO records in relation to Thailand's proposal to reveal the arguments for/against Thailand's proposal. The paper analyses these arguments in light of WTO cases to identify the legal strengths and weaknesses of Thailand's position. The paper then considers whether the attacks on Thailand by Australia are justified in light of the Australian Government's position on (i) alcohol warning labels in Australia and (ii) tobacco plain packaging. The legal arguments against Thailand are: only harmful alcohol consumption should be prevented; there is no evidence that graphic warning labels can reduce alcohol-related harm; the labels unnecessarily restrict international trade. There are some legal weaknesses in Thailand's proposal. Yet, Australia's opposition to Thailand cannot be justified whilst Australia is (i) mandating pregnancy-related alcohol warnings in Australia and (ii) defending its plain packaging law against similar WTO attacks. No WTO member is obliged to challenge another member for being non-compliant. The case tests the willingness of WTO members like Australia to respect the autonomy of other countries to pursue their public health goals and trial novel interventions. Australia's actions suggest it is willing to protect its alcohol industry at the expense of public health in Thailand. © 2012 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

  15. US fossil fuel technologies for Thailand

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

    Buehring, W.A.; Dials, G.E.; Gillette, J.L.

    The US Department of Energy has been encouraging other countries to consider US coal and coal technologies in meeting their future energy needs. Thailand is one of three developing countries determined to be a potentially favorable market for such exports. This report briefly profiles Thailand with respect to population, employment, energy infrastructure and policies, as well as financial, economic, and trade issues. Thailand is shifting from a traditionally agrarian economy to one based more strongly on light manufacturing and will therefore require increased energy resources that are reliable and flexible in responding to anticipated growth. Thailand has extensive lignite depositsmore » that could fuel a variety of coal-based technologies. Atmospheric fluidized-bed combustors could utilize this resource and still permit Thailand to meet emission standards for sulfur dioxide. This option also lends itself to small-scale applications suitable for private-sector power generation. Slagging combustors and coal-water mixtures also appear to have potential. Both new construction and refurbishment of existing plants are planned. 18 refs., 3 figs., 7 tabs.« less

  16. LIDAR Surveys for Road Design in Thailand

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2004-11-01

    Chiang Mai , Thailand 167 New Generation of Sensors and Applications A-4.6 LIDAR SURVEYS FOR...Std Z39-18 168 25th ACRS 2004 Chiang Mai , Thailand A-4.6 New Generation of Sensors and Applications The...the same time on the same platform. 25th ACRS 2004 Chiang Mai , Thailand 169 New Generation of Sensors and Applications A-4.6

  17. Taiwan Biobank: a project aiming to aid Taiwan's transition into a biomedical island.

    PubMed

    Fan, Chien-Te; Lin, Jui-Chu; Lee, Chung-His

    2008-02-01

    Essentially, the term 'biobank' can be defined in different ways. Taking the UK Biobank's experience as the main example, the Taiwan Biobank aims to collect the DNA of a large group of people on the population base and track their health and lifestyle for at least 10 years. It is hoped that the information collected, regarding the mechanisms underlying how genes and environmental factors interact with each other to make us ill, will benefit the society in various ways, including the exploration of a new generation of treatments, support to preventive medicine discovery and also the possible benefits for the promotion of evolving public health-related industries in Taiwan. However, the involvement of large-scale population base gene data collection also triggered serious ethical, legal and social issues. In Taiwan, the challenge is even more serious than for any other biobanking experiences that have occurred previously. Among all the ethical, legal and social issues, the convergence of aboriginal people protection provided under Taiwan's Constitution imposes on the research team an obligation to create an innovative Ethical & Legal Governance Framework adaptable to the unique social background of Taiwan, including a workable public consultation/communication mechanism. In early 2005, the creation of the 'Taiwan Biobank' has been included as a part of Taiwan's strategic development in promoting the country as an island of biomedicine. In this report, the ideology, the goals and special features, government strategy, visions and, in particular, the ethical, legal and social issue planning of the Taiwan Biobank will be briefly introduced and reviewed.

  18. Variations in the correlation between teleconnections and Taiwan's streamflow

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Chia-Jeng; Lee, Tsung-Yu

    2017-07-01

    Interannual variations in catchment streamflow represent an integrated response to anomalies in regional moisture transport and atmospheric circulations and are ultimately linked to large-scale climate oscillations. This study conducts correlation analysis to calculate how summertime (July-September, JAS) streamflow data derived at 28 upstream and 13 downstream gauges in Taiwan correlate with 14 teleconnection indices in the current or preceding seasons. We find that the western Pacific (WP) and Pacific-Japan (PJ) patterns, both of which play a critical role in determining cyclonic activity in the western North Pacific basin, exhibit the highest concurrent correlations (most significant r = 0. 50) with the JAS flows in Taiwan. Alternatively, the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (QBO) averaged over the period from the previous October to June of the current year is significantly correlated with the JAS flows (most significant r = -0. 66), indicating some forecasting utility. By further examining the correlation results using a 20-year moving window, peculiar temporal variations and possible climate regime shifts (CRSs) can be revealed. A CRS test is employed to identify suspicious and abrupt changes in the correlation. The late 1970s and 1990s are identified as two significant change points. During the intermediate period, Taiwan's streamflow and the PJ index exhibit a marked in-phase relationship (r > 0. 8). It is verified that the two shifts are in concordance with the alteration of large-scale circulations in the Pacific basin by investigating the changes in pattern correlation and composite maps before and after the change point. Our results suggest that empirical forecasting techniques should take into account the effect of CRSs on predictor screening.

  19. Accumulation of trace elements used in semiconductor industry in Formosan squirrel, as a bio-indicator of their exposure, living in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Suzuki, Yoshinari; Watanabe, Izumi; Oshida, Tatsuo; Chen, Yen-Jean; Lin, Liang-Kong; Wang, Yu-Huang; Yang, Kouh-Cheng; Kuno, Katsuji

    2007-07-01

    Concentrations of 17 trace elements were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in Formosan squirrels (Callosciurus erythraeus) of Taiwan and Japan to document trace element pollution in Taiwan. High concentrations of elements used to produce semiconductors - Ga, As, Cd, In and Tl - were found in animals captured in Miaoli County, which is the nearest site to Hsinchu City, a chief city of Taiwan's semiconductor industry. Significant correlations between Ga, As, In and Tl were found in the kidney, liver, lung and muscle tissues of Taiwanese squirrels. Hierarchical cluster analysis indicated that Ga, As, In and Tl were of the same clade, indicating that Ga, As, In and Tl were discharged from an identical origin. Molar ratios of Ga/As concentration in lungs of animals captured in Miaoli resembled those of animals after intratracheal administration of particulate gallium arsenide (GaAs). This result might indicate that the higher concentrations of Ga and As in the specimens in Miaoli resulted from atmospheric exposure to GaAs.

  20. Investigation of Ionospheric Disturbances Using Radio and Optical Observations in South-East Asia -- The Initial Results of the ASI and FPI Observations in Chiang Mai, Thailand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kubota, M.; Nagatsuma, T.; Otsuka, Y.; Shiokawa, K.; Komonjinda, S.; Komolmis, T.; Somboon, E.; Tsugawa, T.; Maruyama, T.; Murata, K. T.

    2010-12-01

    For the purpose of monitoring and forecasting equatorial ionospheric disturbances, SEALION (SouthEast Asia Low-latitude IOnospheric Network) has been developed since 2003 as a cooperation project by National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) in Thailand, Chiang Mai University (CMU) in Thailand, National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN) in Indonesia, Hanoi Institute of Geophysics (HIG), Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology in Vietnam, Center for Space Science and Applied Research (CSSAR), Chinese Academy of Sciences in China, Kyoto University in Japan, and Solar-Terrestrial Environment Laboratory (STEL), Nagoya University in Japan. SEALION consists of five ionosondes, four GPS receivers, two GPS scintillation monitors, and a magnetometer. As a part of this project, we newly installed an all-sky imager (ASI) and a Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) at Sirindhorn observatory in Chiang Mai (18.8N, 98.9E, Dip lat. 13.1), Thailand. This site is located near conjugate to EAR site in Kototabang, Indonesia. One of main targets of the ASI observation is the large-scale wave structure (LSWS) with wavelengths of 100-1000 km. The LSWS is thought to be connected to the generation mechanism of equatorial plasma bubbles (EPB). The optical observations in Chiang Mai started in February 2010, and we have detected several ionospheric disturbance events with these instruments In this paper, we will show the initial results of the optical observations from Sirindhorn observatory, and discuss the features of ionospheric disturbances in Southeast Asia.

  1. Brief Report: Databases in the Asia-Pacific Region: The Potential for a Distributed Network Approach.

    PubMed

    Lai, Edward Chia-Cheng; Man, Kenneth K C; Chaiyakunapruk, Nathorn; Cheng, Ching-Lan; Chien, Hsu-Chih; Chui, Celine S L; Dilokthornsakul, Piyameth; Hardy, N Chantelle; Hsieh, Cheng-Yang; Hsu, Chung Y; Kubota, Kiyoshi; Lin, Tzu-Chieh; Liu, Yanfang; Park, Byung Joo; Pratt, Nicole; Roughead, Elizabeth E; Shin, Ju-Young; Watcharathanakij, Sawaeng; Wen, Jin; Wong, Ian C K; Yang, Yea-Huei Kao; Zhang, Yinghong; Setoguchi, Soko

    2015-11-01

    This study describes the availability and characteristics of databases in Asian-Pacific countries and assesses the feasibility of a distributed network approach in the region. A web-based survey was conducted among investigators using healthcare databases in the Asia-Pacific countries. Potential survey participants were identified through the Asian Pharmacoepidemiology Network. Investigators from a total of 11 databases participated in the survey. Database sources included four nationwide claims databases from Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan; two nationwide electronic health records from Hong Kong and Singapore; a regional electronic health record from western China; two electronic health records from Thailand; and cancer and stroke registries from Taiwan. We identified 11 databases with capabilities for distributed network approaches. Many country-specific coding systems and terminologies have been already converted to international coding systems. The harmonization of health expenditure data is a major obstacle for future investigations attempting to evaluate issues related to medical costs.

  2. A case study on the influences of long-range transport to Taiwan`s acid deposition using Taiwan air quality model

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

    Ken-Hui Chang; Fu-Tien Jeng

    1996-12-31

    The long-range and transboundary transport of precursors of add deposition in East Asia became important due to the industrial development around this area. We started to develop Taiwan Air Quality Model (TAQM) system since 1992, which is based on regional Acid Deposition Model (RADM) system. A typical episode in Mei-Yu season has been selected to study. A case considering all emissions within simulated domain has been run as a reference case, and another perturbed case, not including Taiwan`s emission, has been also run for analyzing quantitatively the influence of long-range transport to Taiwan`s wet deposition during the episode are 31%more » and 24% for total sulfur compounds and total nitrogen compounds respectively; but for dry deposition, only 6% is contributed by long range transport for sulfur compounds and 29% for total nitrogen compounds. Therefore, the percentages of total acid deposition contributed by long-range transport are 27% and 25% for total sulfur compounds and total nitrogen compounds, respectively.« less

  3. Lack of association between TaqI A1 Allele of dopamine D2 receptor gene and alcohol-use disorders in Atayal natives of Taiwan

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

    Chia-Hsiang Chen; Shih-Hsiang Chien; Hai-Gwo Hwu

    1996-09-20

    Association studies between the A1 allele of the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene TaqI A polymorphism and alcoholism remain controversial. A recent study from Japan demonstrated that the A1 allele is associated with severe alcoholism in the Japanese population. We were interested in knowing if this association also exists in the Atayals of Taiwan, who were found to have a higher prevalence of alcohol-use disorders than the Han Chinese in Taiwan. Genotype and allele frequencies were determined in alcohol-abusing, alcohol-dependent, and nonalcoholic control Atayal natives in Taiwan. A1 allele frequencies in alcohol-dependent, alcohol-abusing, and normal control Atayals were 0.39, 0.42,more » and 0.39, respectively. No difference in A1 allele frequency was found among these three groups. Our data do not support the hypothesis that the A1 allele of the TaqI A polymorphism of the DRD2 gene increases susceptibility to alcohol-use disorders in the Atayals of Taiwan. 18 refs., 1 tab.« less

  4. Thailand Country Analysis Brief

    EIA Publications

    2017-01-01

    Thailand is an oil and natural gas producer, however, the country increasingly relies on hydrocarbon imports to sustain its rising fuel demand. Domestic crude oil reserves are declining in Thailand, and the country imports a significant share of its total oil consumption. Even though Thailand’s natural gas production has increased substantially in the last two decade, high demand growth and access to imports led the country to become a net importer of natural gas in 2000.

  5. [Bat lyssavirus in Thailand].

    PubMed

    Lumlertdacha, Boonlert; Wacharapluesadee, Supaporn; Chanhome, Lawan; Hemachudha, Thiravat

    2005-07-01

    A study of bat lyssavirus survey was done in Thailand from 2001 to 2003. A total of 932 bats of 11 species were captured in 8 provinces for blood collection and testing for neutralizing antibodies against rabies virus (RABV), Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) and broader panel of other lyssaviruses (Irkut, Aravan and Khujand). All Thai bat samples were negative to RABV Sixteen samples of 394 with sufficient volume of serum had detectable neutralizing antibodies against Irkut, Aravan, Khujand and ABL viruses. Another 13 samples were also found to have antibody to ABLV. However, due to insufficient volume, further analysis to other lyssaviruses could not be performed. Nevertheless, this showed that the prevalence of lyssavirus infection in Thai bats could be as high as 7.3% (29/396). The present study showed that natural occurrence of lyssavirus antibodies found in Thai bats were related to newer putative lyssavirus genotype(s) other than those previously described. These data also suggest that several lyssaviruses are in circulation throughout Thailand as well as other Asian countries, such as in the Philippines, Central Asia, and in certain parts of Russia. The present study and preparation of this article was supported by grants from the Thailand Research Fund and the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Thailand.

  6. Thailand's reproductive revolution.

    PubMed

    Knodel, J

    1987-01-01

    Thailand has achieved a remarkable population revolution in the past 15 years, resulting in a fertility decline of 44%, the 3rd greatest decline of the major developing countries. Thailand is quite distinct from either China or South Korea, the leaders in fertility decline. It has neither China's authoritarian power system to enforce population control nor the highly developed, Westernized outlook of South Korea. Instead it achieved its astounding fertility drop through a noncoercive family planning program operating within a context of rapid social change and a cultural setting. Thailand's drop in population growth has touched almost all segments of Thai society. The preferred number of children among couples married less than 5 years has dropped in both rural and urban families at almost exactly the same rate, from about 3.2 in 1969 to 2.3 in 1984. Religious groups represent the only substantial difference in family size preference; Moslem women married less than 5 years stated a desired average of 3.1 children versus 2.3 for Buddhist women. The direct case of the fertility drop is a national increase in contraceptive use. In 1984, 65% of Thai women reported using contraception. The Thai population, however, was ripe for using contraception when it became available due to 1) mass media creating a desire for consumer goods, 2) the increased costs of education to parents, 3) the willingness of parents to trade off "parent repayment" from many children for a few quality children, 4) couples' autonomy in fertility decision making, 5) the high status of women in Thailand, and 6) the fact that Buddhism poses no barriers to contraception. Current trends show no immediate sign of change.

  7. Predictors and Extent of Institutional Trust in Government, Banks, the Media and Religious Organisations: Evidence from Cross-Sectional Surveys in Six Asia-Pacific Countries.

    PubMed

    Ward, Paul R; Miller, Emma; Pearce, Alex R; Meyer, Samantha B

    2016-01-01

    Building or maintaining institutional trust is of central importance in democratic societies since negative experiences (potentially leading to mistrust) with government or other institutions may have a much more profound effect than positive experiences (potentially maintaining trust). Healthy democracy relies on more than simply trusting the national government of the time, and is mediated through other symbols of institutional power, such as the legal system, banks, the media and religious organisations. This paper focuses on institutional trust-the level and predictors of trust in some of the major institutions in society, namely politics, the media, banks, the legal system and religious organisations. We present analyses from a consolidated dataset containing data from six countries in the Asia Pacific region-Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. Cross-sectional surveys were undertaken in each country in 2009-10, with an overall sample of 6331. Analyses of differences in overall levels of institutional trust between countries were undertaken using Chi square analyses. Multivariate binomial logistic regression analysis was undertaken to identify socio-demographic predictors of trust in each country. Religious institutions, banks and the judicial system had the highest overall trust across all countries (70%, 70% and 67% respectively), followed by newspapers and TV (59% and 58%) and then political leaders (43%). The range of levels of higher trust between countries differed from 43% for banks (range 49% in Australia to 92% in Thailand) to 59% for newspapers (28% in Australia to 87% in Japan). Across all countries, except for Australia, trust in political leaders had the lowest scores, particularly in Japan and South Korea (25% in both countries). In Thailand, people expressed the most trust in religious organisations (94%), banks (92%) and in their judicial/legal system (89%). In Hong Kong, people expressed the highest level of trust in

  8. Thailand: poverty, bright lights, dark alleys.

    PubMed

    1995-11-06

    Some rural farmers in northern Thailand earn as little as 500 Bahts (US$20) per month, while a factory worker earns an average of 3500 Bahts (US$140) and a private sector executive up to 200,000 Bahts (US$8000) per month. Millions of rural poor individuals in Thailand and elsewhere in Asia are flocking to urban centers in search of survival and better lives. Many, however, wind up working as prostitutes. More than one million children work as prostitutes in Asia, with possibly as many as 200,000 in Thailand alone. These men, women, boys, and girls are at high risk of contracting HIV. An estimated 2.5 million Asians have tested seropositive for infection with HIV, and the World Health Organization estimates that by the year 2000, one-third of the projected HIV cases worldwide will be in Asia, with India and Thailand taking the lead. Existing social services cannot handle the current influx of rural poor to urban areas. In the process, huge tracts of agricultural land are being abandoned, levels of rural and urban poverty are increasing, the extent of homelessness is increasing, and the gap between urban and rural areas grows wider. Thailand has the most inequitable distribution of wealth on the Asian continent.

  9. Transsexual emergence: gender variant identities in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Ocha, Witchayanee

    2012-01-01

    This paper aims to contribute to understanding of emergent gender/sexual identities in Thailand. Thailand has become a popular destination for sex change operations by providing the medical technology for a complete transformation, with relatively few procedures and satisfactory results at a reasonable price. Data were gathered from 24 transsexual male-to-female sex workers working in Pattaya and Patpong, well-known sex-tourism hot spots in Thailand. Findings suggest the emergence of new understandings of gender/sexual identity. Sex-tourism/sex work significantly illuminates the process through which gender is contested and re-imagined. The coming together of cultures in Thailand's sex industry, coupled with advances in medical technology, has resulted in the emergence of new concepts of gender.

  10. DETECTION OF PUTATIVE ANTIMALARIAL-RESISTANT PLASMODIUM VIVAX IN ANOPHELES VECTORS AT THAILAND-CAMBODIA AND THAILAND-MYANMAR BORDERS.

    PubMed

    Rattaprasert, Pongruj; Chaksangchaichot, Panee; Wihokhoen, Benchawan; Suparach, Nutjaree; Sorosjinda-Nunthawarasilp, Prapa

    2016-03-01

    Monitoring of multidrug-resistant (MDR)falciparum and vivax malaria has recently been included in the Global Plan for Artemisinin Resistance Containment (GPARC) of the Greater Mekong Sub-region, particularly at the Thailand-Cambodia and Thailand-Myanmar borders. In parallel to GPARC, monitoring MDR malaria parasites in anopheline vectors is an ideal augment to entomological surveillance. Employing Plasmodium- and species-specific nested PCR techniques, only P. vivax was detected in 3/109 salivary gland DNA extracts of anopheline vectors collected during a rainy season between 24-26 August 2009 and 22-24 September 2009 and a dry season between 29-31 December 2009 and 16-18 January 2010. Indoor and out- door resting mosquitoes were collected in Thong Pha Phum District, Kanchanaburi Province (border of Thailand-Myanmar) and Bo Rai District, Trat Province (border of Thailand-Cambodia): one sample from Anopheles dirus at the Thailand-Cambodia border and two samples from An. aconitus from Thailand-Myanmar border isolate. Nucleotide sequencing of dihydrofolate reductase gene revealed the presence in all three samples of four mutations known to cause high resistance to antifolate pyrimethamine, but no mutations were found in multidrug resistance transporter 1 gene that are associated with (falciparum) resistance to quinoline antimalarials. Such findings indicate the potential usefulness of this approach in monitoring the prevalence of drug-resistant malaria parasites in geographically regions prone to the development of drug resistance and where screening of human population at risk poses logistical and ethical problems. Keywords: Anopheles spp, Plasmodium vivax, antimalarial resistance, Greater Mekong Sub-region, nested PCR, vector surveillance

  11. Identification of Fasciola flukes in Thailand based on their spermatogenesis and nuclear ribosomal DNA, and their intraspecific relationships based on mitochondrial DNA.

    PubMed

    Chaichanasak, Pannigan; Ichikawa, Madoka; Sobhon, Prasert; Itagaki, Tadashi

    2012-12-01

    We analyzed 147 Fasciola flukes obtained from cattle in Thailand based on their spermatogenetic ability, and nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) and mitochondrial nicotiamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit 1 (ND1) genes as molecular markers. One hundred twenty-eight flukes, which had abundant sperm in their seminal vesicles (spermic) and showed the PCR-RFLP pattern of F. gigantica in the ITS1, were accurately identified as F. gigantica. The other 19 flukes that had no sperm in their seminal vesicles were aspermic Fasciola sp. with the RFLP patterns identical to that of F. gigantica. Twenty-nine ND1 haplotypes (Fg-ND1-Thai 2-30) were distinguished in the 128 F. gigantica flukes and were divided into haplotypes unique to Thailand and those common to other countries, suggesting the possibility that ancestral haplotypes were introduced into Thailand. Three haplotypes (Fg-ND1-Thai 7, 9 and 27) appeared to be the major haplotypes found in F. gigantica from Thailand. Only one haplotype (Fg-ND1-Thai 1) was found in the 19 aspermic Fasciola sp. flukes obtained from geographical regions, and the nucleotide sequence of Fg-ND1-Thai 1 was identical to that of the aspermic Fasciola sp. from Japan, Korea, China, Vietnam and Myanmar, suggesting that they were descendants with a common provenance and expanded to these countries in the relatively recent past. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Public and Private Sectors in Asian Higher Education Systems: Issues and Prospects. Reports from the International Seminar on Higher Education in Asia (3rd, Hiroshima, Japan, 1987).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hiroshima Univ. (Japan). Research Inst. for Higher Education.

    The roles of public and private sectors of higher education in Asia and relationships to national systems are explored in reports from the Third International Seminar on Higher Education in Asia. The focus was China, Indonesia, Korea, the Philippines, Japan, and Thailand. Patterns by which national systems of higher education are differentiated…

  13. An Update on Ethanol Production and Utilization in Thailand

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

    Bloyd, Cary N.

    Thailand has continued to promote domestic biofuel utilization. Production and consumption of biofuel in Thailand have continued to increase at a fast rate due to aggressive policies of the Thai government in reducing foreign oil import and increasing domestic renewable energy utilization. This paper focuses on ethanol production and consumption, and the use of gasohol in Thailand. The paper is an update on the previous paper--Biofuel Infrastructure Development and Utilization in Thailand--in August 2008.

  14. Thailand's head-on approach.

    PubMed

    Ismartono, Y

    1989-01-01

    Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) education in Thailand takes place in such unlikely places as bars and prisons. A gay activist and founder of the Fraternity for AIDS Cessation in Thailand (FACT) informs bar patrons and the homosexual community in Thailand on AIDS and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). 5 brightly dressed male dancers perform with this activist whose name is Natee Teerarojanapong. They visit gay bars and bath houses in Bangkok and will now go to the provinces. The Thai government realizes the seriousness of the AIDS problem. Recently it began a 3-year program and set up an AIDS Prevention and Control Center headed by the Ministry of Public Health. It has started an intensive information campaign. Plans to distribute 30 million condoms are underway. This year's AIDS budget has been increased. The government has called upon nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector to help. With FACT, groups like Empower, a sister organization of prostitutes, the Duang Prateep Foundation of the Klong Toey slums, Population and Development Association (PDA), the Red Cross and Planned Parenthood Association of Thailand (PPAT) have begun their own AIDS prevention and control programs. Public Health Ministry officials say only 18 persons are showing full-blown AIDS symptoms. But, more than 7500 tested positive for HIV antibodies. 84% of current seropositives are intravenous drug users; there are an estimated 500,000 heroin addicts in Thailand. The main activities of the AIDS programs has been concerned with heroin addiction. 400,000 of the 1/2 million heroin addicts are in Bangkok. In Klong Toey, the biggest slum area in Bangkok, the AIDS problem is compounded by extreme poverty. The Thai Red Cross is very active in the AIDS program. Officials at Bangkok's Klong Prem prison are being trained by PPAT. They are taught about AIDS control and prevention. Among the 400 prison inmates, those infected with AIDS are mostly intravenous drug users; some

  15. International trends in health science librarianship part 11: Japan and Korea.

    PubMed

    Sakai, Yukiko; Sato, Kuniko; Suwabe, Naoko; Gemba, Hiroko; Nozoe, Atsutake; Seo, Jeong-Wook; Kim, Hye Yang

    2014-09-01

    This is the 11th in a series of articles exploring international trends in health science librarianship. The previous article in this series looked at the Far East (Greater China, Hong Kong and Taiwan). The current issue surveys developments in Japan and Korea. The next issue will explore trends in South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka). Next year all four issues will be devoted to trends in four regions in Africa (Southern Africa, East Africa, West Africa and North Africa. © 2014 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2014 Health Libraries Journal.

  16. Dynamic strain and rotation ground motions of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake from dense high-rate GPS observations in Taiwan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, B. S.; Rau, R. J.; Lin, C. J.; Kuo, L. C.

    2017-12-01

    Seismic waves generated by the 2011 Mw 9.0 Tohoku, Japan earthquake were well recorded by continuous GPS in Taiwan. Those GPS were operated in one hertz sampling rate and densely distributed in Taiwan Island. Those continuous GPS observations and the precise point positioning technique provide an opportunity to estimate spatial derivatives from absolute ground motions of this giant teleseismic event. In this study, we process and investigate more than one and half hundred high-rate GPS displacements and its spatial derivatives, thus strain and rotations, to compare to broadband seismic and rotational sensor observations. It is shown that continuous GPS observations are highly consistent with broadband seismic observations during its surface waves across Taiwan Island. Several standard Geodesy and seismic array analysis techniques for spatial gradients have been applied to those continuous GPS time series to determine its dynamic strain and rotation time histories. Results show that those derivate GPS vertical axis ground rotations are consistent to seismic array determined rotations. However, vertical rotation-rate observations from the R1 rotational sensors have low resolutions and could not compared with GPS observations for this special event. For its dese spatial distribution of GPS stations in Taiwan Island, not only wavefield gradient time histories at individual site was obtained but also 2-D spatial ground motion fields were determined in this study also. In this study, we will report the analyzed results of those spatial gradient wavefields of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake across Taiwan Island and discuss its geological implications.

  17. 7 CFR 319.56-47 - Certain fruits from Thailand.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 5 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Certain fruits from Thailand. 319.56-47 Section 319.56... Certain fruits from Thailand. Litchi (Litchi chinensis), longan (Dimocarpus longan), mango (Mangifera... lappaceum L.) may be imported into the United States from Thailand only under the following conditions: (a...

  18. 7 CFR 319.56-47 - Certain fruits from Thailand.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 5 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Certain fruits from Thailand. 319.56-47 Section 319.56... Certain fruits from Thailand. Litchi (Litchi chinensis), longan (Dimocarpus longan), mango (Mangifera... lappaceum L.) may be imported into the United States from Thailand only under the following conditions: (a...

  19. Political economy of tobacco control in Thailand

    PubMed Central

    Chantornvong, S.; McCargo, D.

    2001-01-01

    Thailand has some of the world's strongest anti-tobacco legislation. This paper examines the political economy of tobacco control in Thailand, emphasising the identification of forces which have supported and opposed the passage of strong anti-tobacco measures. It argues that while a powerful tobacco control coalition was created in the late 1980s, the gains won by this coalition are now under threat from systematic attempts by transnational tobacco companies to strengthen their share of the Thai cigarette market. The possible privatisation of the Thailand Tobacco Monopoly could threaten the tobacco control cause, but the pro-control alliance is fighting back with a proposed Health Promotion Act which would challenge the tobacco industry with a hypothecated excise tax dedicated to health awareness campaigns.


Keywords: anti-tobacco legislation; political economy; Thailand; transnational tobacco companies PMID:11226361

  20. Childlessness patterns in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Poston Dl

    1988-06-01

    Taiwan is a newly developed and industrialized area, and along with Korea, Brazil, Argentina, and a few other countries, belongs in a special class of recently industrialized areas. Taiwan has been undergoing large-scale modernization since the 1950s when the Nationalist government 1st began to implement land reform programs and today is 1 of the showcase of newly developed areas of the world. Demographic transition theory shows that fertility is negatively associated with modernization. During the past 3 decades, fertility in Taiwan has followed this pattern in a dramatic manner. Studies of childlessness conducted in Western countries have shown also that as the modernizing influences continue, fertility declines, and childlessness increases as it becomes more and more voluntary. Subregions with the highest levels of modernization and the lowest fertility rates should therefore be characterized by the highest levels of childlessness, particularly among younger women, and vice versa. Given the levels of socioeconomic and demographic development in Taiwan and its subregions circa 1980, as well as its variability among the hsiens and major cities, the author would expect to find higher levels of childlessness in the more developed localities, and lower levels in the less developed subregions. This hypothesis is tested with data from the 1980 Census of Population and Housing: General Report, Taiwan--Fukien Area (Republic of China, 1982) and the 1980 Taiwan--Fukien Demographic Fact Book (Republic of China, 1980).

  1. HIV/HCV Coinfection in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Hsu, Ching-Sheng; Kao, Jia-Horng

    2016-01-01

    Both human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are important global public health problems with shared transmission routes. Although HIV/HCV coinfection is not uncommon, the prevalence rates vary significantly across different studies and regions. In Taiwan, injection drug users have become the major contributors to the HIV/AIDS epidemic since 2005. Because the prevalence of HCV infection is high in injection drug users, this HIV epidemic is also associated with a significant increase of HIV/HCV coinfection in Taiwan. To control Taiwan's HIV epidemic, Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) launched a harm-reduction program in 2006. The HIV epidemic, the percentage attributed to injection drug users, and the prevalence of HIV/HCV coinfection gradually declined thereafter. In this article, we aimed to thoroughly examine the current literatures of HIV/HCV coinfection in Taiwan and hope to provide a better understanding of the needs for the management of this coinfection. We conducted a narrative review and searched for literature from PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library database untill August 2015. Studies relevant to the epidemiology and associated risk factors of HIV/HCV coinfection in Taiwan were examined and discussed.

  2. Astronomical Network for Teachers in Thailand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kramer Hutawarakorn, Busaba; Soonthornthum, Boonraksar; Poshyachinda, Saran

    We report the latest development of a pilot project in establishing the astronomical network for teachers in Thailand. The project has been recently granted by the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology Thailand and operated by Sirindhorn Observatory Chiangmai University. The objectives of the project are (1) to establish a16-inch semi-robotic telescope which can be accessed from schools nationwide; and (2) to establish an educational website in Thai language which contains electronic textbook of astronomy online encyclopedia of astronomy observing projects astronomical database and links to other educational websites worldwide. The network will play important role in the development of teaching and learning astronomy in Thailand.

  3. Integrated structural model for active arc-continental collision from southern Taiwan to central Taiwan inferred from seismogenic views

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nagai, S.; Wang, Y.; Ma, K.; Wu, Y.; Huang, H.

    2010-12-01

    The Taiwan Island is located in ongoing arc-continent collision zone between the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate. Numerous geophysical and geological studies have explained the tectonic processes and developed various models. There are two end-member models for Taiwan collision; Thin-skinned model [e.g. Suppe, 1987] and Lithospheric collision model [Wu et al., 1997]. One of most important issue is that collision in Taiwan involves and contributes deformation to what depth. We have presented on this point in central Taiwan through seismological views, including both observed facts and results of tomographic inversion [Nagai et al., 2010 in WPGM 2010]. We have concluded that orogenic process should involve and contribute to depth of 30 km at least in central Taiwan, and suggested ’Upper Crustal Stacking Model’. We have indicated that existence of low-velocity blocks under Central Mountain Range (CMR) is one of the most important factors to understand Taiwan arc-continental collision process. We extend this idea to southern and northern Taiwan and to connect with balanced cross-sections proposed in Ustaszewski et al. [2010]. In this talk, we focused on the structural variation from southern Taiwan to central Taiwan. We have been performing the local double-difference tomography [Zhang and Thurber, 2003] in southern and northern Taiwan using the Central Weather Bureau Seismic Network with temporary array observations. These results in seismic tomography show variation of seismic velocity under the CMR like in central Taiwan. Low-velocity anomalies are also detected. Although it should be checked carefully, velocity blocks segmented some parts and seismic activities seem to be located on their boundaries. The Jiaxian earthquake on 4th Mar, 2010 occurred on one of these segmentation boundaries. The tectonic process in Taiwan arc-continental collision consists of different-scale structures, which means finer resolution structures may be nested with the

  4. Current status of tropical fruit breeding and genetics for three tropical fruit species cultivated in Japan: pineapple, mango, and papaya

    PubMed Central

    Ogata, Tatsushi; Yamanaka, Shinsuke; Shoda, Moriyuki; Urasaki, Naoya; Yamamoto, Toshiya

    2016-01-01

    Tropical fruit crops are predominantly produced in tropical and subtropical developing countries, but some are now grown in southern Japan. Pineapple (Ananas comosus), mango (Mangifera indica) and papaya (Carica papaya) are major tropical fruits cultivated in Japan. Modern, well-organized breeding systems have not yet been developed for most tropical fruit species. Most parts of Japan are in the temperate climate zone, but some southern areas such as the Ryukyu Islands, which stretch from Kyushu to Taiwan, are at the northern limits for tropical fruit production without artificial heating. In this review, we describe the current status of tropical fruit breeding, genetics, genomics, and biotechnology of three main tropical fruits (pineapple, mango, and papaya) that are cultivated and consumed in Japan. More than ten new elite cultivars of pineapple have been released with improved fruit quality and suitability for consumption as fresh fruit. New challenges and perspectives for obtaining high fruit quality are discussed in the context of breeding programs for pineapple. PMID:27069392

  5. Present and future of astronomy in Thailand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Soonthornthum, Boonrucksar

    2018-05-01

    Investments in national astronomical facilities and human resources through the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand have led to the rapid growth of astronomy in Thailand. Ongoing activities in key research areas, education and outreach will lead to further sustainable development.

  6. The "right" way is not always popular: comparison of surgeons' perceptions during laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis among experts from Japan, Korea and Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Hibi, Taizo; Iwashita, Yukio; Ohyama, Tetsuji; Honda, Goro; Yoshida, Masahiro; Takada, Tadahiro; Han, Ho-Seong; Hwang, Tsann-Long; Shinya, Satoshi; Suzuki, Kenji; Umezawa, Akiko; Yoon, Yoo-Seok; Choi, In-Seok; Huang, Wayne Shih-Wei; Chen, Kuo-Hsin; Miura, Fumihiko; Watanabe, Manabu; Abe, Yuta; Misawa, Takeyuki; Nagakawa, Yuichi; Yoon, Dong-Sup; Jang, Jin-Young; Yu, Hee Chul; Ahn, Keun Soo; Kim, Song Cheol; Song, In Sang; Kim, Ji Hoon; Yun, Sung Su; Choi, Seong Ho; Jan, Yi-Yin; Sheen-Chen, Shyr-Ming; Shan, Yan-Shen; Ker, Chen-Guo; Chan, De-Chuan; Wu, Cheng-Chung; Toyota, Naoyuki; Higuchi, Ryota; Nakamura, Yoshiharu; Mizuguchi, Yoshiaki; Takeda, Yutaka; Ito, Masahiro; Norimizu, Shinji; Yamada, Shigetoshi; Matsumura, Naoki; Shindoh, Junichi; Sunagawa, Hiroki; Gocho, Takeshi; Hasegawa, Hiroshi; Rikiyama, Toshiki; Sata, Naohiro; Kano, Nobuyasu; Kitano, Seigo; Tokumura, Hiromi; Yamashita, Yuichi; Watanabe, Goro; Nakagawa, Kunitoshi; Kimura, Taizo; Yamakawa, Tatsuo; Wakabayashi, Go; Endo, Itaru; Miyazaki, Masaru; Yamamoto, Masakazu

    2017-01-01

    Generally, surgeons' perceptions of surgical safety are based on experience and institutional policy. Our recent pilot survey demonstrated that the acceptable duration of surgery and criteria for open conversion during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) vary among workplaces. A web-based survey was distributed to 554 expert LC surgeons in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. The questionnaire covered LC experience, safety measures and recognition of landmarks, decision-making regarding conversion to open/partial cholecystectomy and the implications of this decision. Overall responses were compared among nations, and then stratified by LC experience level (lifetime cases 200-499, 500-999, and ≥1,000). The response rate was 92.6% (513/554); 67 surgeons with ≤199 LCs were excluded, and responses from 446 surgeons were analyzed. We observed significant differences among nations on almost all questions. Differences that remained after stratification by LC experience were on questions related to acceptable duration of surgery, adoption rates of intraoperative cholangiography, the "critical view of safety" technique, identification of Rouvière's sulcus, recognition of the SS-Inner layer theory, and intraoperative judgment to abandon conventional LC. Even among experts, surgeons' perceptions during LC are workplace-dependent. A novel grading system of surgical difficulty and standardized LC procedures are paramount to generate high-level evidence. © 2016 Japanese Society of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery.

  7. Taiwan: growing, growing, gone.

    PubMed

    Hanson, R

    1979-10-01

    Accommodation between Taiwan and the People's Republic of China may not be inconceivable as trade contacts (though officially disallowed) grow. Because of Taiwan's well-established success and the pressing need in China to industrialize, it appears, however, that such an accommodation will occur only after China becomes more like Taiwan. Taiwan owes its success, first, to land reform and then, in the 1960s, to steady industrialization. Besides broad controls over money supply and capital designed to ward off inflationary pressures when needed, and the grand outlines for development, another factor in the island's economic success is that the government has interfered little with private enterprise. The economy has an underpinning of small to medium size businesses. There are more than 10,000 trading companies. This diverse foundation has given the economy as a whole a flexible buffer on which more sophisticated industires can be formed.

  8. A Comparative Sociological Study of Japanese and Taiwanese Upper Secondary Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aizawa, Shinichi

    2016-01-01

    This paper addresses the following two research questions: What role does senior high school choice play, in terms of the choices between public and private and between academic and vocational education in Japan and Taiwan? How do senior high school students matriculate to tertiary education in Japan and Taiwan? Japan and Taiwan have both…

  9. Severe Dengue Fever Outbreak in Taiwan

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Sheng-Fan; Wang, Wen-Hung; Chang, Ko; Chen, Yen-Hsu; Tseng, Sung-Pin; Yen, Chia-Hung; Wu, Deng-Chyang; Chen, Yi-Ming Arthur

    2016-01-01

    Dengue fever (DF) is a vector-borne disease caused by dengue viruses (DENVs). Epidemic dengue occurs intermittently in Taiwan. In 2014, Taiwan experienced its largest DF outbreak. There were 15,732 DF cases reported. There were a total of 136 dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) cases, of which 20 resulted in death. Most DF cases were reported in southern Taiwan. A total of 15,043 (96%) cases were from Kaohsiung, a modern city in southern Taiwan. This report reviews DF epidemics in Taiwan during 2005–2014. The correlation between DF and DHF along with temperature and precipitation were conjointly examined. We conclude that most dengue epidemics in Taiwan resulted from imported DF cases. Results indicate three main factors that may have been associated with this DF outbreak in Kaohsiung: an underground pipeline explosion combined with subsequent rainfall and higher temperature. These factors may have enhanced mosquito breeding activity, facilitating DENV transmission. PMID:26572871

  10. Severe Dengue Fever Outbreak in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Wang, Sheng-Fan; Wang, Wen-Hung; Chang, Ko; Chen, Yen-Hsu; Tseng, Sung-Pin; Yen, Chia-Hung; Wu, Deng-Chyang; Chen, Yi-Ming Arthur

    2016-01-01

    Dengue fever (DF) is a vector-borne disease caused by dengue viruses (DENVs). Epidemic dengue occurs intermittently in Taiwan. In 2014, Taiwan experienced its largest DF outbreak. There were 15,732 DF cases reported. There were a total of 136 dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) cases, of which 20 resulted in death. Most DF cases were reported in southern Taiwan. A total of 15,043 (96%) cases were from Kaohsiung, a modern city in southern Taiwan. This report reviews DF epidemics in Taiwan during 2005-2014. The correlation between DF and DHF along with temperature and precipitation were conjointly examined. We conclude that most dengue epidemics in Taiwan resulted from imported DF cases. Results indicate three main factors that may have been associated with this DF outbreak in Kaohsiung: an underground pipeline explosion combined with subsequent rainfall and higher temperature. These factors may have enhanced mosquito breeding activity, facilitating DENV transmission. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

  11. Molecular differentiation and phylogenetic relationships of three Angiostrongylus species and Angiostrongylus cantonensis geographical isolates based on a 66-kDa protein gene of A. cantonensis (Nematoda: Angiostrongylidae).

    PubMed

    Eamsobhana, Praphathip; Lim, Phaik Eem; Zhang, Hongman; Gan, Xiaoxian; Yong, Hoi Sen

    2010-12-01

    The phylogenetic relationships and molecular differentiation of three species of angiostrongylid nematodes (Angiostrongylus cantonensis, Angiostrongylus costaricensis and Angiostrongylus malaysiensis) were studied using the AC primers for a 66-kDa protein gene of A. cantonensis. The AC primers successfully amplified the genomic DNA of these angiostrongylid nematodes. No amplification was detected for the DNA of Ascaris lumbricoides, Ascaris suum, Anisakis simplex, Gnathostoma spinigerum, Toxocara canis, and Trichinella spiralis. The maximum-parsimony (MP) consensus tree and the maximum-likelihood (ML) tree both showed that the Angiostrongylus taxa could be divided into two major clades - Clade 1 (A. costaricensis) and Clade 2 (A. cantonensis and A. malaysiensis) with a full support bootstrap value. A. costaricensis is the most distant taxon. A. cantonensis is a sister group to A. malaysiensis; these two taxa (species) are clearly separated. There is no clear distinction between the A. cantonensis samples from four different geographical localities (Thailand, China, Japan and Hawaii); only some of the samples are grouped ranging from no support or low support to moderate support of bootstrap values. The published nucleotide sequences of A. cantonensis adult-specific native 66kDa protein mRNA, clone L5-400 from Taiwan (U17585) appear to be very distant from the A. cantonensis samples from Thailand, China, Japan and Hawaii, with the uncorrected p-distance values ranging from 26.87% to 29.92%.

  12. Cancer incidence patterns among children and adolescents in Taiwan from 1995 to 2009: a population-based study.

    PubMed

    Hung, Giun-Yi; Horng, Jiun-Lin; Lee, Yu-Sheng; Yen, Hsiu-Ju; Chen, Chao-Chun; Lee, Chih-Ying

    2014-11-15

    Currently, little information is available on childhood cancer incidence rates in Eastern Asia. The objective of this study was to report the first population-based cancer surveillance of children and adolescents in Taiwan. Data from the Taiwan Cancer Registry were examined for cancer frequencies and incidence rates among individuals ages birth to 19 years from 1995 to 2009. Types of cancers were grouped according to the International Classification of Childhood Cancer. Rates were compared by sex and age. For further comparisons with other countries, rates were age standardized to the 2000 world standard population in 5-year age groups. Trends in incidence rates also were evaluated. In total, 12,315 individuals were diagnosed with childhood cancers, for an age-standardized incidence rate (ASR) of 132.1 per million person-years from 1995 to 2009. The male-to-female incidence rate ratio was 1.19. Overall, leukemias were the most common cancer (ASR, 39.1 per million person-years), followed by central nervous system neoplasms (15.8 per million person-years), and lymphomas (15.3 per million person-years). During the 15-year study period, the incidence rates increased by 1% annually. Compared with other countries, the rate of hepatic tumors was 2 times greater in Taiwan. The rate of germ cell neoplasms in Taiwan was similar to that in the United States and was 1.3 to 1.9 times greater compared with Canada, Brazil, Israel, and Japan. Based on the current data, the observed increase in overall incidence rates was attributable only marginally to improvements in case ascertainment and diagnostic procedures. The high rates of malignant hepatic tumors and germ cell neoplasms in Taiwan suggest variations in the background risk factors. © 2014 The Authors. Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Cancer Society.

  13. Cancer incidence patterns among children and adolescents in Taiwan from 1995 to 2009: A population-based study

    PubMed Central

    Hung, Giun-Yi; Horng, Jiun-Lin; Lee, Yu-Sheng; Yen, Hsiu-Ju; Chen, Chao-Chun; Lee, Chih-Ying

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND Currently, little information is available on childhood cancer incidence rates in Eastern Asia. The objective of this study was to report the first population-based cancer surveillance of children and adolescents in Taiwan. METHODS Data from the Taiwan Cancer Registry were examined for cancer frequencies and incidence rates among individuals ages birth to 19 years from 1995 to 2009. Types of cancers were grouped according to the International Classification of Childhood Cancer. Rates were compared by sex and age. For further comparisons with other countries, rates were age standardized to the 2000 world standard population in 5-year age groups. Trends in incidence rates also were evaluated. RESULTS In total, 12,315 individuals were diagnosed with childhood cancers, for an age-standardized incidence rate (ASR) of 132.1 per million person-years from 1995 to 2009. The male-to-female incidence rate ratio was 1.19. Overall, leukemias were the most common cancer (ASR, 39.1 per million person-years), followed by central nervous system neoplasms (15.8 per million person-years), and lymphomas (15.3 per million person-years). During the 15-year study period, the incidence rates increased by 1% annually. Compared with other countries, the rate of hepatic tumors was 2 times greater in Taiwan. The rate of germ cell neoplasms in Taiwan was similar to that in the United States and was 1.3 to 1.9 times greater compared with Canada, Brazil, Israel, and Japan. CONCLUSIONS Based on the current data, the observed increase in overall incidence rates was attributable only marginally to improvements in case ascertainment and diagnostic procedures. The high rates of malignant hepatic tumors and germ cell neoplasms in Taiwan suggest variations in the background risk factors. Cancer 2014;120:3545–3553. © 2014 The Authors. Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Cancer Society. The authors examine cancer incidence patterns in children and adolescents

  14. E-Learning Readiness in the Academic Sector of Thailand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Laohajaratsang, Thanomporn

    2009-01-01

    As e-learning in the academic sector serves as a crucial driving force in the development of e-learning in Thailand, this article looks at e-learning readiness in Thailand with a focus on the academic sector. The article is divided into four parts: (1) a brief history of e-learning in Thailand; (2) the infrastructure related to e-learning…

  15. Structural Features of the Western Taiwan Foreland Basin in the Eastern Taiwan Strait since Late Miocene

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    WANG, J. H.; Liu, C. S.; Chang, J. H.; Yang, E. Y.

    2017-12-01

    The western Taiwan Foreland Basin lies on the eastern part of Taiwan Strait. The structures in this region are dominated by crustal stretch and a series of flexural normal faults have been developed since Late Miocene owing to the flexural of Eurasia Plate. Through deciphering multi-channel seismic data and drilling data, these flexural features are observed in the offshore Changhua coastal area. The flexure normal faults are important features to realize structural activity in the western Taiwan Foreland Basin. Yang et al. (2016) mention that the reactivated normal faults are found north of the Zhushuixi estuary. It should be a significant issue to decipher whether these faults are still active. In this study, we have analyzed all the available seismic reflections profiles in the central part of the Taiwan Strait, and have observed many pre-Pliocene normal faults that are mainly distributed in the middle of the Taiwan Strait to Changyun Rise, and we tentatively suggest that the formation of these faults may be associated with the formation of the foreland basal unconformity. Furthermore, we will map the distribution of these normal faults and examine whether the reactivated normal faults have extended to south of the Zhushuixi estuary. Finally, we discuss the relation between the reactivated normal faults in the Taiwan Strait and those faults onshore. Key words: Multichannel seismic reflection profile, Taiwan Strait, Foreland basin, normal fault.

  16. Ophthalmic plastic and orbital surgery in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Hsu, Chi-Hsin; Lin, I-Chan; Shen, Yun-Dun; Hsu, Wen-Ming

    2014-06-01

    We describe in this paper the current status of ophthalmic plastic and orbital surgery in Taiwan. Data were collected from the Bureau of National Health Insurance of Taiwan, the Bulletin of the Taiwan Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Society, and the Statistics Yearbook of Practicing Physicians and Health Care Organizations in Taiwan by the Taiwan Medical Association. We ascertained that 94 ophthalmologists were oculoplastic surgeons and accounted for 5.8% of 1621 ophthalmologists in Taiwan. They had their fellowship training abroad (most ophthalmologists trained in the United States of America) or in Taiwan. All ophthalmologists were well trained and capable of performing major oculoplastic surgeries. The payment rates by our National Health Insurance for oculoplastic and orbital surgeries are relatively low, compared to Medicare payments in the United States. Ophthalmologists should promote the concept that oculoplastic surgeons specialize in periorbital plastic and aesthetic surgeries. However, general ophthalmologists should receive more educational courses on oculoplastic and cosmetic surgery. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  17. Lexical Profiles of Thailand University Admission Tests

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cherngchawano, Wirun; Jaturapitakkul, Natjiree

    2014-01-01

    University Admission Tests in Thailand are important documents which reflect Thailand's education system. To study at a higher education level, all students generally need to take the University Admission Tests designed by the National Institute of Educational Testing Service (NIETS). For the English test, vocabulary and reading comprehension is…

  18. Using egocentric analysis to investigate professional networks and productivity of graduate students and faculty in life sciences in Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Hara, Noriko; Chen, Hui; Ynalvez, Marcus Antonius

    2017-01-01

    Prior studies showed that scientists' professional networks contribute to research productivity, but little work has examined what factors predict the formation of professional networks. This study sought to 1) examine what factors predict the formation of international ties between faculty and graduate students and 2) identify how these international ties would affect publication productivity in three East Asian countries. Face-to-face surveys and in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of faculty and doctoral students in life sciences at 10 research institutions in Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan. Our final sample consisted of 290 respondents (84 faculty and 206 doctoral students) and 1,435 network members. We used egocentric social network analysis to examine the structure of international ties and how they relate to research productivity. Our findings suggest that overseas graduate training can be a key factor in graduate students' development of international ties in these countries. Those with a higher proportion of international ties in their professional networks were likely to have published more papers and written more manuscripts. For faculty, international ties did not affect the number of manuscripts written or of papers published, but did correlate with an increase in publishing in top journals. The networks we examined were identified by asking study participants with whom they discuss their research. Because the relationships may not appear in explicit co-authorship networks, these networks were not officially recorded elsewhere. This study sheds light on the relationships of these invisible support networks to researcher productivity.

  19. Using egocentric analysis to investigate professional networks and productivity of graduate students and faculty in life sciences in Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Hui; Ynalvez, Marcus Antonius

    2017-01-01

    Prior studies showed that scientists’ professional networks contribute to research productivity, but little work has examined what factors predict the formation of professional networks. This study sought to 1) examine what factors predict the formation of international ties between faculty and graduate students and 2) identify how these international ties would affect publication productivity in three East Asian countries. Face-to-face surveys and in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of faculty and doctoral students in life sciences at 10 research institutions in Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan. Our final sample consisted of 290 respondents (84 faculty and 206 doctoral students) and 1,435 network members. We used egocentric social network analysis to examine the structure of international ties and how they relate to research productivity. Our findings suggest that overseas graduate training can be a key factor in graduate students’ development of international ties in these countries. Those with a higher proportion of international ties in their professional networks were likely to have published more papers and written more manuscripts. For faculty, international ties did not affect the number of manuscripts written or of papers published, but did correlate with an increase in publishing in top journals. The networks we examined were identified by asking study participants with whom they discuss their research. Because the relationships may not appear in explicit co-authorship networks, these networks were not officially recorded elsewhere. This study sheds light on the relationships of these invisible support networks to researcher productivity. PMID:29045500

  20. Melioidosis in Thailand: Present and Future

    PubMed Central

    Hinjoy, Soawapak; Hantrakun, Viriya; Kongyu, Somkid; Kaewrakmuk, Jedsada; Wangrangsimakul, Tri; Jitsuronk, Siroj; Saengchun, Weerawut; Bhengsri, Saithip; Akarachotpong, Thantapat; Thamthitiwat, Somsak; Sangwichian, Ornuma; Anunnatsiri, Siriluck; Sermswan, Rasana W; Lertmemongkolchai, Ganjana; Tharinjaroen, Chayada Sitthidet; Preechasuth, Kanya; Udpaun, Ratchadaporn; Chuensombut, Poomin; Waranyasirikul, Nisarat; Anudit, Chanihcha; Narenpitak, Surapong; Jutrakul, Yaowaruk; Teparrukkul, Prapit; Teerawattanasook, Nittaya; Thanvisej, Kittisak; Suphan, Alisa; Sukbut, Punchawee; Ploddi, Kritchavat; Sirichotirat, Poolsri; Chiewchanyon, Bongkoch; Rukseree, Kamolchanok; Hongsuwan, Maliwan; Wongsuwan, Gumphol; Sunthornsut, Pornpan; Wuthiekanun, Vanaporn; Sachaphimukh, Sandy; Wannapinij, Prapass; Chierakul, Wirongrong; Chewapreecha, Claire; Thaipadungpanit, Janjira; Chantratita, Narisara; Korbsrisate, Sunee; Taunyok, Apichai; Dunachie, Susanna; Palittapongarnpim, Prasit; Sirisinha, Stitaya; Kitphati, Rungrueng; Iamsirithaworn, Sopon; Chaowagul, Wipada; Chetchotisak, Ploenchan; Whistler, Toni; Wongratanacheewin, Surasakdi; Limmathurotsakul, Direk

    2018-01-01

    A recent modelling study estimated that there are 2800 deaths due to melioidosis in Thailand yearly. The Thailand Melioidosis Network (formed in 2012) has been working closely with the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) to investigate and reduce the burden of this disease. Based on updated data, the incidence of melioidosis is still high in Northeast Thailand. More than 2000 culture-confirmed cases of melioidosis are diagnosed in general hospitals with microbiology laboratories in this region each year. The mortality rate is around 35%. Melioidosis is endemic throughout Thailand, but it is still not uncommon that microbiological facilities misidentify Burkholderia pseudomallei as a contaminant or another organism. Disease awareness is low, and people in rural areas neither wear boots nor boil water before drinking to protect themselves from acquiring B. pseudomallei. Previously, about 10 melioidosis deaths were formally reported to the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (Report 506) each year, thus limiting priority setting by the MoPH. In 2015, the formally reported number of melioidosis deaths rose to 112, solely because Sunpasithiprasong Hospital, Ubon Ratchathani province, reported its own data (n = 107). Melioidosis is truly an important cause of death in Thailand, and currently reported cases (Report 506) and cases diagnosed at research centers reflect the tip of the iceberg. Laboratory training and communication between clinicians and laboratory personnel are required to improve diagnosis and treatment of melioidosis countrywide. Implementation of rapid diagnostic tests, such as a lateral flow antigen detection assay, with high accuracy even in melioidosis-endemic countries such as Thailand, is critically needed. Reporting of all culture-confirmed melioidosis cases from every hospital with a microbiology laboratory, together with final outcome data, is mandated under the Communicable Diseases Act B.E.2558. By enforcing this legislation, the Mo

  1. Women scientists in Taiwan: an update.

    PubMed

    Wang, Hsiu-Yun; Stocker, Joel Floyd

    2010-06-01

    This paper reflects upon issues of gender and science in Taiwan. Its starting point is the first academic paper on the subject published in Taiwan in 1996 by Fu and Wang, and then it draws upon the biographical accounts of 20 women scientists. We emphasize the importance of focusing on the specific contexts of the history of science and women in Taiwan. Partly as a result of Taiwan's colonial past and women's limited access to education, women scientists did not emerge in Taiwan until the second half of the 20(th) century when higher education became available to women. The gender issues with which women scientists in Taiwan have had to cope include the ways in which women have been excluded or included, their marital and career status, the local and global politics of scientific knowledge, and negotiating social networks. These issues have remained largely the same since the Fu and Wang study, but they have certainly gained wider attention and understanding, and greater articulation, both within academia and society. 2010 Elsevier. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Knowledge Management in Higher Education in Thailand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chumjit, Surat

    2012-01-01

    This study examines how knowledge management (KM) is applied to higher education in Thailand, and it will also examine whether higher education in Thailand is ready to combine KM with their educational missions in terms of teaching, research, administration, and strategic planning. Knowledge creation and social networking frameworks are used to…

  3. Developmental Book Activities and Needs in Thailand.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barnett, Stanley A.; And Others

    A three week survey was conducted to: (1) investigate the state of developmental book acitivity in Thailand, (2) determine the priority of Thailand's book needs, (3) develop program recommendations to meet the needs and (4) formulate regional recommendations. Recommendations on materials and methods needed are: (1) development of a comprehensive…

  4. Inclusive Education in Thailand: Practices and Challenges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vorapanya, Sermsap; Dunlap, Diane

    2014-01-01

    In 2008, Thailand passed legislation on the educational provisions for students with disabilities to mandate the implementation of inclusive education. This article provides a historical overview of special education in Thailand and the emergence of inclusive education as it moves from policy to practice. To further identify the challenges faced…

  5. Digital Initiatives and Metadata Use in Thailand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    SuKantarat, Wichada

    2008-01-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to provide information about various digital initiatives in libraries in Thailand and especially use of Dublin Core metadata in cataloguing digitized objects in academic and government digital databases. Design/methodology/approach: The author began researching metadata use in Thailand in 2003 and 2004 while on sabbatical…

  6. Rainfall Effects on the Kuroshio Current East of Taiwan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hsu, Po-Chun; Lin, Chen-Chih; Ho, Chung-Ru

    2017-04-01

    Changes of sea surface salinity (SSS) in the open oceans are related to precipitation and evaporation. SSS has been an indicator of water cycle. It may be related to the global change. The Kuroshio Current, a western boundary current originating from the North Equatorial Current, transfers warm and higher salinity to higher latitudes. It flows northward along the east coasts of Luzon Island and Taiwan Island to Japan. In this study, effects of heavy rainfall on the Kuroshio surface salinity east of Taiwan are investigated. Sea surface salinity (SSS) data taken by conductivity temperature depth (CTD) sensor on R/V Ocean Researcher I cruises, conductivity sensor on eight glider cruises, and Aquarius satellite data are used in this study. The rain rate data derived from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager (TMI) are also employed. A glider is a kind of autonomous underwater vehicle, which uses small changes in its buoyancy in conjunction with wings to convert vertical motion to horizontal in the underwater without requiring input from an operator. It can take sensors to measure salinity, temperature, and pressure. The TRMM/TMI data from remote sensing system are daily and are mapped to 0.25-degree grid. The results show a good correlation between the rain rate and SSS with a correlation coefficient of 0.86. The rainfall causes SSS of the Kuroshio surface water drops 0.176 PSU per 1 mm/hr rain rate.

  7. Southeast Asian Broadcasting: The Emergence of Thailand.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anatol, Karl W.; Bittner, John R.

    The historical development and evolution of broadcasting in Thailand, from its beginning in 1919, is narrated. Governmental control of broadcasting is discussed briefly, and the development of Southeast Asia's first television station, Thai Television Channel 4, is also surveyed. Today, radio broadcasting in Thailand utilizes A.M., F.M., and F.M.…

  8. Nonhost status of mangosteen to Bactrocera dorsalis and Bactrocera carambolae (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Unahawutti, Udorn; Intarakumheng, Rachada; Oonthonglang, Pitawat; Phankum, Salukjit; Follett, Peter A

    2014-08-01

    Postharvest quarantine treatments (irradiation or vapor heat) are used to control fruit flies and other pests in mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L) exported to the United States and Japan from Thailand. No-choice tests were conducted in the laboratory to determine whether Thai mangosteen is a host for Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (oriental fruit fly) and Bactrocera carambolae Drew & Hancock (carambola fruit fly). Ripe commercial quality fruit (1 wk after harvest) that were either undamaged or damaged by puncturing or peeling the pericarp were exposed to a high density of gravid flies in screen cages and then held for 10 d and dissected to inspect for immature life stages. Undamaged mangosteen fruit were not infested by B. dorsalis and B. carambolae. Partially damaged fruit with shallow punctures in the pericarp that did not extend to the aril also were not infested. Both fruit flies could infest damaged fruit if the pericarp damage allowed oviposition in the aril. Results suggest that natural infestation of mangosteen by B. dorsalis and B. carambolae can only occur if fruit exhibit physical cracks or mechanical injury. Resistance appears to be due to the pericarp hardness and thickness as well as latex secretion. Nonhost status could be used without additional quarantine measures to achieve quarantine security against B. dorsalis and B. carambolae in mangosteen exported from Thailand.

  9. Global Dispersal Pattern of HIV Type 1 Subtype CRF01_AE: A Genetic Trace of Human Mobility Related to Heterosexual Sexual Activities Centralized in Southeast Asia.

    PubMed

    Angelis, Konstantinos; Albert, Jan; Mamais, Ioannis; Magiorkinis, Gkikas; Hatzakis, Angelos; Hamouda, Osamah; Struck, Daniel; Vercauteren, Jurgen; Wensing, Annemarie M J; Alexiev, Ivailo; Åsjö, Birgitta; Balotta, Claudia; Camacho, Ricardo J; Coughlan, Suzie; Griskevicius, Algirdas; Grossman, Zehava; Horban, Andrzej; Kostrikis, Leondios G; Lepej, Snjezana; Liitsola, Kirsi; Linka, Marek; Nielsen, Claus; Otelea, Dan; Paredes, Roger; Poljak, Mario; Puchhammer-Stöckl, Elisabeth; Schmit, Jean-Claude; Sönnerborg, Anders; Staneková, Danica; Stanojevic, Maja; Boucher, Charles A B; Kaplan, Lauren; Vandamme, Anne-Mieke; Paraskevis, Dimitrios

    2015-06-01

    Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) subtype CRF01_AE originated in Africa and then passed to Thailand, where it established a major epidemic. Despite the global presence of CRF01_AE, little is known about its subsequent dispersal pattern. We assembled a global data set of 2736 CRF01_AE sequences by pooling sequences from public databases and patient-cohort studies. We estimated viral dispersal patterns, using statistical phylogeographic analysis run over bootstrap trees estimated by the maximum likelihood method. We show that Thailand has been the source of viral dispersal to most areas worldwide, including 17 of 20 sampled countries in Europe. Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, and other Asian countries have played a secondary role in the viral dissemination. In contrast, China and Taiwan have mainly imported strains from neighboring Asian countries, North America, and Africa without any significant viral exportation. The central role of Thailand in the global spread of CRF01_AE can be probably explained by the popularity of Thailand as a vacation destination characterized by sex tourism and by Thai emigration to the Western world. Our study highlights the unique case of CRF01_AE, the only globally distributed non-B clade whose global dispersal did not originate in Africa. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  10. The portrayal of men and women in television advertisements: an updated review of 30 studies published since 2000.

    PubMed

    Furnham, Adrian; Paltzer, Stephanie

    2010-06-01

    In 1999, Furnham and Mak published a review of 14 content-analytic studies of sex roles stereotyping in television commercials. All these studies were based on the McArthur and Resko (1975) content categories. This paper updates that review considering 30 studies in over 20 countries published between 2000 and 2008. Studies were from Australasia, Austria, Bulgaria, Ghana, Hong Kong, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Malaysia, Mauritius, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. They examined over 8,000 advertisements. National and cultural differences in gender stereotypes are also considered in the light of this data. The popularity of, and the problems associated with, the research paradigm are considered.

  11. Predictors and Extent of Institutional Trust in Government, Banks, the Media and Religious Organisations: Evidence from Cross-Sectional Surveys in Six Asia-Pacific Countries

    PubMed Central

    Miller, Emma; Pearce, Alex R.; Meyer, Samantha B.

    2016-01-01

    Background Building or maintaining institutional trust is of central importance in democratic societies since negative experiences (potentially leading to mistrust) with government or other institutions may have a much more profound effect than positive experiences (potentially maintaining trust). Healthy democracy relies on more than simply trusting the national government of the time, and is mediated through other symbols of institutional power, such as the legal system, banks, the media and religious organisations. This paper focuses on institutional trust–the level and predictors of trust in some of the major institutions in society, namely politics, the media, banks, the legal system and religious organisations. We present analyses from a consolidated dataset containing data from six countries in the Asia Pacific region–Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. Methods Cross-sectional surveys were undertaken in each country in 2009–10, with an overall sample of 6331. Analyses of differences in overall levels of institutional trust between countries were undertaken using Chi square analyses. Multivariate binomial logistic regression analysis was undertaken to identify socio-demographic predictors of trust in each country. Results Religious institutions, banks and the judicial system had the highest overall trust across all countries (70%, 70% and 67% respectively), followed by newspapers and TV (59% and 58%) and then political leaders (43%). The range of levels of higher trust between countries differed from 43% for banks (range 49% in Australia to 92% in Thailand) to 59% for newspapers (28% in Australia to 87% in Japan). Across all countries, except for Australia, trust in political leaders had the lowest scores, particularly in Japan and South Korea (25% in both countries). In Thailand, people expressed the most trust in religious organisations (94%), banks (92%) and in their judicial/legal system (89%). In Hong Kong, people

  12. Chinese species of egg-parasitoids of the genera Oxyscelio Kieffer, Heptascelio Kieffer and Platyscelio Kieffer (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae s.l., Scelioninae)

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Abstract To date, the known Chinese fauna of egg-parasitoids of the genus Oxyscelio Kieffer encompasses two species from the mainland – Oxyscelio doumao Burks and Oxyscelio nubbin Burks. Here we record eighteen species of Oxyscelio from collections in mainland China: Oxyscelio arvi Burks, Oxyscelio ceylonensis (Dodd), Oxyscelio convergens Burks, Oxyscelio cordis Burks, Oxyscelio crebritas Burks, Oxyscelio cuculli Burks, Oxyscelio dermatoglyphes Burks, Oxyscelio doumao Burks, Oxyscelio florus Kononova, Oxyscelio granorum Burks, Oxyscelio intermedietas Burks, Oxyscelio jugi Burks, Oxyscelio kramatos Burks, Oxyscelio longiventris Burks, Oxyscelio naraws Kozlov & Lê, Oxyscelio perpensus Kononova, Oxyscelio planocarinae Burks, and Oxyscelio striarum Burks. Oxyscelio is primarily found in the tropics, and most of these species are shared with Taiwan and southeast Asia. Three species previously known only from Japan, Oxyscelio arvi, Oxyscelio florus, Oxyscelio perpensus, are shared. The Chinese species are recorded from Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Hebei, Hunan, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan and Zhejiang as well as additional material from Taiwan. Heptascelio hamatus Masner & Johnson and Platyscelio pulchricornis Kieffer are both recorded from Hainan and Guangdong, as well as records of Platyscelio pulchricornis from Sarawak and Thailand. PMID:24723779

  13. NRAO Welcomes Taiwan as a New North American ALMA Partner

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2008-12-01

    Observatory of Japan. The agreement mirrors previous ones affording Taiwan astronomers enhanced access to NRAO’s US-based research facilities. “ALMA will be one of the greatest ground-based observatories of the coming decade, and we look forward eagerly to working alongside our colleagues at the NRAO, and with the other ALMA partners, to make ALMA even more successful,” said Dr. Paul Ho, ASIAA’s director. The ALMA Project is a partnership between the scientific communities of East Asia, Europe and North America with Chile. ALMA is funded in North America by the U.S. National Science Foundation in cooperation with the National Research Council of Canada and the National Science Council of Taiwan. ALMA construction and operations are led on behalf of North America by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, which is operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

  14. Identification of Fasciola species based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA reveals the co-existence of intermediate Fasciola and Fasciola gigantica in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Wannasan, Anchalee; Khositharattanakool, Pathamet; Chaiwong, Prasong; Piangjai, Somsak; Uparanukraw, Pichart; Morakote, Nimit

    2014-11-01

    Molecular techniques were used to identify Fasciola species collected from Chiang Mai Thailand. Morphometrically, 65 stained and 45 fresh worms collected from cattle suggested the possible occurrence of both F. gigantica and F. hepatica. Twenty-two worms comprising 15 from cattle and 7 from human patients, were identified subsequently based on three genetic markers: mitochondrial nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit 1 (nad1), mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) and nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2). All of them presented the F. gigantica type in maternally inherited mitochondrial sequences (nad1 and cox1), with six types in each sequence (FgNDI-CM1 to FgNDI-CM6 and FgCOI-CM1 to FgCOI-CM6, respectively). Remarkably, the predominant nad1 type, FgNDI-CM6, was identical to that of aspermic Fasciola sp. formerly reported from Thailand, Japan, Korea, China, Vietnam, and Myanmar. ITS2 sequences were analyzed successfully in 20 worms. Fifteen worms showed the F. gigantica type and five (including one worm from a patient) had mixed ITS2 sequences of both F. gigantica and F. hepatica in the same worms, with additional heterogeneity within both ITS2 types. This study revealed the intermediate form of Fasciola coexisting with F. gigantica for the first time in Thailand.

  15. Towards a Curriculum for the Thai Lao of Northeast Thailand?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Draper, John

    2015-01-01

    This article considers a fundamental issue in language planning, namely, whether or not to introduce a curriculum for the mother tongue (MT), in the wider context of a complex language planning situation in Thailand. It details recent moves in the consideration of this issue for the Thai Lao (Isan) of Northeast Thailand, Thailand's largest…

  16. Lessons learned from the Japan earthquake and tsunami, 2011.

    PubMed

    Fuse, Akira; Yokota, Hiroyuki

    2012-01-01

    On March 11, 2011, an earthquake occurred off the coast of Honshu, Japan. The quake was followed by a powerful tsunami that caused extensive damage to the east coast of the Tohoku and Kanto regions. This disaster destroyed the medical system in place and thus drastically reduced the ability of the healthcare system to handle the large number of casualties. During the initial response to this disaster, we participated in several types of outreach medical relief teams dispatched to the affected area from the day of the earthquake onwards. The ratio of persons injured to persons missing or dead for the 2011 Japan disaster (0.31: 5,994 to 19,371) was much lower than for the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004 in Thailand (1.01; 8,457 to 8,393) and for the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake of 1995 in Japan (6.80; 43,792 to 6,437). The different ratios for the different types of disasters indicate that medical relief efforts in response to natural disasters should be tailored to the type of disaster to optimize the effectiveness of the response and prevent further deaths. From a medical viewpoint, unnecessary deaths must be prevented following natural disasters. Doing so requires appropriate information transmission and an understanding of the mission's overall and specific objectives: 1) rapid search and rescue; 2) early care in the field, evacuation centers, and primary clinics; 3) definitive evaluation at disaster base hospitals; and 4) proper evacuation to unaffected areas. We propose a descriptive device that can guide headquarters in dealing with the commonalities of a disaster.

  17. Agricultural Pesticide Management in Thailand: Situation and Population Health Risk

    PubMed Central

    Panuwet, Parinya; Siriwong, Wattasit; Prapamontol, Tippawan; Ryan, P. Barry; Fiedler, Nancy; Robson, Mark G.; Barr, Dana Boyd

    2012-01-01

    As an agricultural country and one of the world’s major food exporters, Thailand relies heavily on the use of pesticides to protect crops and increase yields. During the past decade, the Kingdom of Thailand has experienced an approximate four-fold increase in pesticide use. This increase presents a challenge for the Royal Thai Government in effectively managing and controlling pesticide use based upon the current policies and legal infrastructure. We have reviewed several key components for managing agricultural pesticides in Thailand. One of the main obstacles to effective pesticide regulation in Thailand is the lack of a consolidated, uniform system designed specifically for pesticide management. This deficit has weakened the enforcement of existing regulations, resulting in misuse/overuse of pesticides, and consequently, increased environmental contamination and human exposure. This article provides a systematic review of how agricultural pesticides are regulated in Thailand. In addition, we provide our perspectives on the current state of pesticide management, the potential health effects of widespread, largely uncontrolled use of pesticides on the Thai people and ways to improve pesticide management in Thailand. PMID:22308095

  18. Seismic Strain Field in Taiwan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kao, H.; Liang, W.; Chang, T.; Liu, Y.; Lee, E.

    2001-12-01

    Centroid-moment-tensor (CMT) solutions determined by inverting waveform data of Broadband Array in Taiwan for Seismology (BATS) are collected for earthquakes that occurred in the Taiwan region. In total, the dataset contains more than 300 events that scattered across an area of 400 km by 400 km, including the devastating 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake sequence. The entire region is divided into 3 layers (0-40 km, 40-70 km, and greater than 70 km) with blocks of 0.2 degree by 0.2 degree in lateral dimension. Seismic moment tensors of all earthquakes that occurred inside each block are summed to give the strain tensor characterizing the corresponding seismic deformation. We calculate the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the resulted strain tensor for each block and project the normalized maximum compressional (P) and extensional (T) axes on horizontal plane to resolve the strain field in Taiwan associated with regional seismic activities. For the majority of events with depths less than 40 km (i.e., at crustal scale), the strain field is characterized by nearly E-W compression along the eastern coastline and immediately offshore east of Taiwan. Once inland, clear fan-shaped trajectories of P-axes are observed, ranging from NW-SE in the northwest to NE-SW in the southwest. The Ryukyu and Luzon subduction systems show compression in the forearc region and extension in the backarc and outerrise regions. For depths greater than 40 km, a clear pattern of lateral compression is observed within the subducted Philippine Sea plate to the northeast of Taiwan. It is doubtless that the "slab-continent" collision is predominant at deeper depths near the junction between the Ryukyu arc and Taiwan Collision Zone, whereas the "arc-continent" collision is predominant in the central and southern Taiwan.

  19. History and development of ophthalmology in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Hou, Yu-Chih; Oren, Gale A; Chen, Muh-Shy; Hu, Fung-Rong

    2016-12-01

    Western medicine was first introduced to Taiwan by medical missionaries in the mid-19 th century. Modernization of medicine was systematically transplanted to Taiwan in the Japanese colonial period, and ophthalmology was established third among hospital departments, following internal medicine and surgery. Dr Hidetaka Yamaguchi, an ophthalmologist, was the first head of the Taihoku Hospital, later known as National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH; Taipei, Taiwan). Ophthalmologists during the colonial period conducted studies on tropical and infectious eye diseases. After World War II, ophthalmologists at NTUH played an important role in medical education, residency training, studies, and teaching. Dr Yan-Fei Yang established the Taiwan Ophthalmological Society in 1960 and instituted its official journal in 1962. Dr Ho-Ming Lin established the Department of Ophthalmology at the Tri-Service General Hospital in the 1950s and the Veterans General Hospital in the 1960s. Taiwan ophthalmologists eradicated trachoma by 1971. Cataract surgery and penetrating keratoplasty were initially performed in the 1960s. Currently, there are about 1600 ophthalmologists in Taiwan conducting an estimated 120,000 cataract surgeries and 600 corneal transplantations annually. Many subspecialty societies have been established recently that serve to educate Taiwanese ophthalmologists and to connect with international ophthalmic societies. Taiwan ophthalmologists continue to contribute to the advancement of ophthalmic knowledge globally. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  20. [Gene Diagnosis and Analysis of Clinical Hematological Phenotype of Thailand Deleted α-Thalassemia 1].

    PubMed

    Lin, Na; Huang, Hai-Long; Wang, Yan; Zheng, Lin; Fang, Xiang-Qun; Cai, Mei-Ying; Wang, Lin-Shuo; Liu, He-Kun; Xu, Liang-Pu; Lin, Yuan

    2016-08-01

    To investigate the hematologic characteristics and gene diagnosis of patients with Thailand deleted α-thalassemia 1, so as to provide the information for clinical genetic counseling. The clinical data of 32 patients with Thailand delated α-thalassemia 1 were analyzed retrospectively; the hematologic characteristics and gene diagnosis of Thailand deleted type were investigated by using routine hematologic examination, genetic detection of common thalassemia and Thailand deleted α-thalassemia 1. Among 32 cases, the Thailand deleted α-thalassemia 1 heterozygote was found in 29 cases, the Thailand deleted α-thalassemia 1 and α(3.7) gene deletion double heterozygote were found in 1 case, the Thailand deleted α-thalassemia 1 with β-thalassemia (1 case with codons 41-42 mutation heterozygous, 1 case with CD17 mutation heterozygous) was found in 2 cases by detection. The MCV and MCH levels were decreased in all cases of Thailand deleted thalassemia 1, there were significant differences in RBC, MCV, MCH (P<0.05) between normal control and Thailand deletion α-thalassemia 1 group; there were also significant differences in MCHC (P<0.05) between Southeast asia thalassemia and Thailand deleted α-thalassemia 1 group. There are no significant differences in hematological parameters except MCHC between Southeast asia thalassemia and Thailand deleted α-thalassemia 1 group. moreover the Thailand deleted α-thalassemia 1 in a certain proportion exists in area with high incidence of thalassemia, therefor the clinicians should pay more attention to the screen and diagnosis of Thailand delated α-thalassemia and can exactly diagnose the Thailand delected α-thalassemia 1 on the basis of comprehensive analysis of conventional and Thailand delected α-thalassemia 1 detection results, clinical presentation, hematologic parameters and ultrasonic examination, so as to avoid the birth of child with severe and intermidiate type α-thalassemia caused by Thailand deleted

  1. A taxonomic note on Homorosoma horridulum Voss, 1958 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), with new records from Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Korotyaev, Boris A; Yoshitake, Hiraku; Huang, Junhao

    2014-04-08

    Homorosoma horridulum Voss 1958 (Curculionidae: Ceutorhynchinae) was described from Kuatun, China, based on two specimens in the J. Klapperich collection. Since that time it has been uninvestigated for more than half a century, except by Colonnelli (2004), who listed it in his world catalogue of the subfamily. The recent examination of the holotype of H. horridulum revealed that it should be placed in the genus Scleropteroides Colonnelli 1979. In addition, Scleropteroides specimens from Taiwan agree well with the holotype of H. horridulum not only in general appearance but also in male genital structures. Here we transfer Homorosoma horridulum Voss 1958 to the genus Scleropteroides Colonnelli 1979 as Scleropteroides horridulus (Voss 1958) and record the species from Taiwan for the first time. Depositories of specimens examined are abbreviated as follows: CMNC: Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa; CWOB: C.W. O'Brien collection, Green Valley, Arizona, USA; EUMJ: Laboratory of Environmental Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan; NIAES: National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, Tsukuba, Japan; SMNH: Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden; and ZIN: Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia. Before going further, we wish to express our cordial thanks to R. S. Anderson, François Génier (CMNC), H. Kojima (Tokyo University of Agriculture), M. Sakai (Ehime University), C.W. O'Brien, and B. Viklund (SMNH) for the loan or donation of specimens examined. The first author thanks the late P. Lindskog (SMNH) for the help during his first visit to Stockholm. The study by the first author was supported by Grant No 13-04-01002 from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research.

  2. Clostridium difficile infection in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Putsathit, Papanin; Kiratisin, Pattarachai; Ngamwongsatit, Puriya; Riley, Thomas V

    2015-01-01

    Clostridium difficile is the aetiological agent in ca. 20% of cases of antimicrobial-associated diarrhoea in hospitalised adults. Diseases caused by this organism range from mild diarrhoea to occasional fatal pseudomembranous colitis. The epidemiology of C. difficile infection (CDI) has changed notably in the past decade, following epidemics in the early 2000s of PCR ribotype (RT) 027 infection in North America and Europe, where there was an increase in disease severity and mortality. Another major event has been the emergence of RT 078, initially as the predominant ribotype in production animals in the USA and Europe, and then in humans in Europe. Although there have been numerous investigations of the epidemiology of CDI in North America and Europe, limited studies have been undertaken elsewhere, particularly in Asia. Antimicrobial exposure remains the major risk factor for CDI. Given the high prevalence of indiscriminate and inappropriate use of antimicrobials in Asia, it is conceivable that CDI is relatively common among humans and animals. This review describes the level of knowledge in Thailand regarding C. difficile detection methods, prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility profile, as well as the clinical features of, treatment options for and outcomes of the disease. In addition, antimicrobial usage in livestock in Thailand will be reviewed. A literature search yielded 18 studies mentioning C. difficile in Thailand, a greater number than from any other Asian country. It is possible that the situation in Thailand in relation to CDI may mirror the situation in other developing Asians countries. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. and the International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

  3. Maternity Leave in Taiwan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Feng, Joyce Yen; Han, Wen-Jui

    2010-01-01

    Using the first nationally representative birth cohort study in Taiwan, this paper examines the role that maternity leave policy in Taiwan plays in the timing of mothers returning to work after giving birth, as well as the extent to which this timing is linked to the amount of time mothers spend with their children and their use of breast milk…

  4. Professional Counseling in Taiwan: Past to Future

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guo, Yuh-Jen; Wang, Shu-Ching; Combs, Don C.; Lin, Yi-Chun; Johnson, Veronica

    2013-01-01

    Because of the recent introduction of a licensure law, professional counseling has grown rapidly in Taiwan after decades of slow development. The authors provide a historical review of the development of professional counseling in Taiwan and discuss the current status and future trajectory of professional counseling in Taiwan.

  5. Child prostitution in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Lau, Carmen

    2008-06-01

    Child prostitution is an old, global and complex phenomenon, which deprives children of their childhood, human rights and dignity. Child prostitution can be seen as the commercial sexual exploitation of children involving an element of forced labour, and thus can be considered as a contemporary form of slavery. Globally, child prostitution is reported to be a common problem in Central and South America and Asia. Of all the south-east Asian nations, the problem is most prolific in Thailand. In Thailand, there appears to be a long history of child prostitution, and this article explores the factors that underpin the Thai child sex industry and the lessons and implications that can be drawn for health care and nursing around the world.

  6. Medical education in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Chou, Jen-Yu; Chiu, Chiung-Hsuan; Lai, Enoch; Tsai, Duujian; Tzeng, Chii-Ruey

    2012-01-01

    Taiwan's medical education system bears a close relationship with its colonial and post-colonial history. Since the late nineteenth century, Western medicine, Chinese medicine, and the practice of the other forms of traditional healing have encountered complex transactions with the state and one another, eventually evolving into the present medical system. Nowadays, the mainstream form of medical education in Taiwan is a 7-year Western program; other forms of medical education include a 5-year graduate program and traditional medicine programs. Challenged by the National Health Insurance that emphasizes cost management since 1995 and criticized by the US National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation in 1998, medical education reform was implemented by the Taiwan Medical Accreditation Council established in 2000. The reform tries to bring humanities into various aspects of medical education, including student recruitment, curriculum, licensing, and continuing education. Similar to other modernization projects, the reform transplants the American and British standards to Taiwan. These changes hope to insure the reflective capabilities in physicians on the welfare of patients. However, frustration of current and future physicians may be deepened if the reform is insensitive to local issues or incapable of addressing new global tendencies.

  7. Lithospheric Structure Beneath Taiwan From Sp Converted Waves

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Glasgow, D.; McGlashan, N.; Brown, L.

    2006-12-01

    Taiwan is the product of three dimensionally complex interaction between the Eurasian Plate (EP) and the Philippine Sea plate (PSP), with the EP subducting eastward beneath the PSP in southern Taiwan while the PSP subducts northward beneath the EP in northern Taiwan. The structural emplacement of Philippine Arc lithosphere onto Chinese passive margin lithosphere is an exemplar of continental amalgamation, yet there are relatively few contraints on the geometry of lithosphere involved at depth. We have used teleseismic data recorded by the Broadband Array for Taiwan Seismology (BATS) to compute S-to-p wave receiver functions for the Taiwan region to provide new constraints on deep geometries. Moho conversions provide independent new estimates of crustal thickness, which vary from 35 to 55 km across the island in agreement with previous P to S conversion studies and local tomography. More significantly, our results suggest that the lithosphere- asthenosphere boundary (LAB) varies in depth from ca 140 km beneath northeastern Taiwan to ca 120 km beneath central Taiwan to perhaps less than 80 km beneath southern Taiwan. We attribute this along strike variation to the depression and decapitation of the Eurasian plate in the transition to northward subduction of the PSP.

  8. Current situation and industrialization of Taiwan nanotechnology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Su, Hsin-Ning; Lee, Pei-Chun; Tsai, Min-Hua; Chien, Kuo-Ming

    2007-12-01

    Nanotechnology is projected to be a very promising field, and the impact of nanotechnology on society is increasingly significant as the research funding and manufactured goods increase exponentially. A clearer picture of Taiwan's current and future nanotechnology industry is an essential component for future planning. Therefore, this investigation studies the progress of industrializing nanotechnology in Taiwan by surveying 150 companies. Along with understanding Taiwan's current nanotechnology industrialization, this paper also suggests ways to promote Taiwan's nanotechnology. The survey results are summarized and serve as the basis for planning a nanotechnology industrialization strategy.

  9. Liver cancer mortality rate model in Thailand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sriwattanapongse, Wattanavadee; Prasitwattanaseree, Sukon

    2013-09-01

    Liver Cancer has been a leading cause of death in Thailand. The purpose of this study was to model and forecast liver cancer mortality rate in Thailand using death certificate reports. A retrospective analysis of the liver cancer mortality rate was conducted. Numbering of 123,280 liver cancer causes of death cases were obtained from the national vital registration database for the 10-year period from 2000 to 2009, provided by the Ministry of Interior and coded as cause-of-death using ICD-10 by the Ministry of Public Health. Multivariate regression model was used for modeling and forecasting age-specific liver cancer mortality rates in Thailand. Liver cancer mortality increased with increasing age for each sex and was also higher in the North East provinces. The trends of liver cancer mortality remained stable in most age groups with increases during ten-year period (2000 to 2009) in the Northern and Southern. Liver cancer mortality was higher in males and increase with increasing age. There is need of liver cancer control measures to remain on a sustained and long-term basis for the high liver cancer burden rate of Thailand.

  10. Current trends of balloon laryngoplasty in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Moungthong, Greetha; Bunbanjerdsuk, Sacarin; Wright, Nida; Sathavornmanee, Thanakrit; Setabutr, Dhave

    2017-06-01

    To describe the current trend in balloon laryngoplasty usage and experience by practicing otolaryngologists in Thailand. Anonymous 11 question online and paper survey of otolaryngologists on their current balloon laryngoplasty practices. Current practices and experience in balloon laryngoplasty were queried with multiple choice and open-ended questions. Laser use is the most commonly utilized instrument to treat airway stenosis in Thailand. 86% of respondents do not have experience with balloon dilatation; yet, almost half (47.6%) report they perform a minimum of five airway surgeries per year. Most respondents had been in practice for less than 6 years (41%) and reported that they did not have exposure to balloon use during residency training. The largest barrier reported for the use of balloon instrumentation in the airway is inexperience (44.4%) followed by cost (38.3%), yet most feel that treatment in airway stenosis could benefit by usage of balloons (95.5%). Most otolaryngologists in Thailand do not have experience with the use of balloon dilatation and lack of exposure remains the largest barrier to its use. Otolaryngologists in Thailand feel that increased usage of balloons in the airway could improve airway stenosis treatment in the country.

  11. Scrap car recycling in Taiwan

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

    Lee, C.H.; Tai, H.S.; Fan, R.K.S.

    1997-12-31

    The official figure of registered automobiles released by the Ministry of Transportation of Taiwan, R.O.C. as of the end of April 1996, is approximately 4.8 millions. Among them, 18% of the cars are between seven and ten years old and 15% of the cars are old than ten years. The result of this large number of old cars is the problem of abandoned cars on the street of Taiwan. This phenomena not only hinders traffic flow but also undermines the living quality in the cities. To minimize these negative effects, EPA has promulgated a Scrap Motor Vehicles Management Regulation tomore » enforce the scrap car recycling in Taiwan. Under this regulation, a buyer of a new vehicle has to pay the Scrap Motor Vehicle Disposal fee (NT$ 3000, or US$ 110 for a car; and NT$ 700, or US$ 25 for a motorcycle). This paper presents the current status of scrap car recycling in Taiwan.« less

  12. Discrepancy of cytogenetic analysis in Western and eastern Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Chang, Yu-Hsun; Chen, Pui-Yi; Li, Tzu-Ying; Yeh, Chung-Nan; Li, Yi-Shian; Chu, Shao-Yin; Lee, Ming-Liang

    2013-06-01

    This study aimed at investigating the results of second-trimester amniocyte karyotyping in western and eastern Taiwan, and identifying any regional differences in the prevalence of fetal chromosomal anomalies. From 2004 to 2009, pregnant women who underwent amniocentesis in their second trimester at three hospitals in western Taiwan and at four hospitals in eastern Taiwan were included. All the cytogenetic analyses of cultured amniocytes were performed in the cytogenetics laboratory of the Genetic Counseling Center of Hualien Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital. We used the chi-square test, Student t test, and Mann-Whitney U test to evaluate the variants of clinical indications, amniocyte karyotyping results, and prevalence and types of chromosomal anomalies in western and eastern Taiwan. During the study period, 3573 samples, 1990 (55.7%) from western Taiwan and 1583 (44.3%) from eastern Taiwan, were collected and analyzed. The main indication for amniocyte karyotyping was advanced maternal age (69.0% in western Taiwan, 67.1% in eastern Taiwan). The detection rates of chromosomal anomalies by amniocyte karyotyping in eastern Taiwan (45/1582, 2.8%) did not differ significantly from that in western Taiwan (42/1989, 2.1%) (p = 1.58). Mothers who had abnormal ultrasound findings and histories of familial hereditary diseases or chromosomal anomalies had higher detection rates of chromosomal anomalies (9.3% and 7.2%, respectively). The detection rate of autosomal anomalies was higher in eastern Taiwan (93.3% vs. 78.6%, p = 0.046), but the detection rate of sex-linked chromosomal anomalies was higher in western Taiwan (21.4% vs. 6.7%, p = 0.046). We demonstrated regional differences in second-trimester amniocyte karyotyping results and established a database of common chromosomal anomalies that could be useful for genetic counseling, especially in eastern Taiwan. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  13. The development of sex reassignment surgery in Thailand: a social perspective.

    PubMed

    Chokrungvaranont, Prayuth; Selvaggi, Gennaro; Jindarak, Sirachai; Angspatt, Apichai; Pungrasmi, Pornthep; Suwajo, Poonpismai; Tiewtranon, Preecha

    2014-01-01

    This paper reviews the development of gender reassignment in Thailand during the period of 1975-2012, in terms of social attitude, epidemiology, surgical patients' profile, law and regulation, religion, and patients' path from psychiatric assessment to surgery. Thailand healthcare for transsexual patients is described. Figures related to the number of sex reassignment surgeries performed in Thailand over the past 30 years are reported. Transsexual individuals are only apparently integrated within the Thail society: the law system of Thailand in fact, does not guarantee to transsexuals the same rights as in other Western countries; the governmental healthcare does not offer free treatments for transsexual patients. In favor of the transsexual healthcare, instead, the Medical Council of Thailand recently published a policy entitled "Criteria for the treatment of sex change, Census 2009." The goal of this policy was to improve the care of transsexual patients in Thailand, by implementing the Standards of Care of the World Professional Association of Transgender Health. Currently, in Thailand, there are 6 major private groups performing sex reassignment surgery, and mostly performing surgery to patients coming from abroad. Particularly, the largest of these (Preecha's group) has performed nearly 3000 vaginoplasties for male-to-female transsexuals in the last 30 years.

  14. The Development of Sex Reassignment Surgery in Thailand: A Social Perspective

    PubMed Central

    Chokrungvaranont, Prayuth; Jindarak, Sirachai; Angspatt, Apichai; Pungrasmi, Pornthep; Suwajo, Poonpismai; Tiewtranon, Preecha

    2014-01-01

    This paper reviews the development of gender reassignment in Thailand during the period of 1975–2012, in terms of social attitude, epidemiology, surgical patients' profile, law and regulation, religion, and patients' path from psychiatric assessment to surgery. Thailand healthcare for transsexual patients is described. Figures related to the number of sex reassignment surgeries performed in Thailand over the past 30 years are reported. Transsexual individuals are only apparently integrated within the Thail society: the law system of Thailand in fact, does not guarantee to transsexuals the same rights as in other Western countries; the governmental healthcare does not offer free treatments for transsexual patients. In favor of the transsexual healthcare, instead, the Medical Council of Thailand recently published a policy entitled “Criteria for the treatment of sex change, Census 2009.” The goal of this policy was to improve the care of transsexual patients in Thailand, by implementing the Standards of Care of the World Professional Association of Transgender Health. Currently, in Thailand, there are 6 major private groups performing sex reassignment surgery, and mostly performing surgery to patients coming from abroad. Particularly, the largest of these (Preecha's group) has performed nearly 3000 vaginoplasties for male-to-female transsexuals in the last 30 years. PMID:24772010

  15. Japan's Colonial Policies--From National Assimilation to the Kominka Movement: A Comparative Study of Primary Education in Taiwan and Korea (1937-1945)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peng, Huan-Sheng; Chu, Jo-Ying

    2017-01-01

    The eight-year-long period from Japan's initiation of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937 to its unconditional surrender in 1945 forced Japan to invest its national economy and industrial and scientific technologies in the war. In addition, in the name of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, Japan initiated its assimilation and Kominka…

  16. SNP genotypes of Mycobacterium leprae isolates in Thailand and their combination with rpoT and TTC genotyping for analysis of leprosy distribution and transmission.

    PubMed

    Phetsuksiri, Benjawan; Srisungngam, Sopa; Rudeeaneksin, Janisara; Bunchoo, Supranee; Lukebua, Atchariya; Wongtrungkapun, Ruch; Paitoon, Soontara; Sakamuri, Rama Murthy; Brennan, Patrick J; Vissa, Varalakshmi

    2012-01-01

    Based on the discovery of three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Mycobacterium leprae, it has been previously reported that there are four major SNP types associated with different geographic regions around the world. Another typing system for global differentiation of M. leprae is the analysis of the variable number of short tandem repeats within the rpoT gene. To expand the analysis of geographic distribution of M. leprae, classified by SNP and rpoT gene polymorphisms, we studied 85 clinical isolates from Thai patients and compared the findings with those reported from Asian isolates. SNP genotyping by PCR amplification and sequencing revealed that all strains like those in Myanmar were SNP type 1 and 3, with the former being predominant, while in Japan, Korea, and Indonesia, the SNP type 3 was found to be more frequent. The pattern of M. leprae distribution in Thailand and Myanmar is quite similar, except that SNP type 2 was not found in Thailand. In addition, the 3-copy hexamer genotype in the rpoT gene is shared among the isolates from these two neighboring countries. On the basis of these two markers, we postulate that M. leprae in leprosy patients from Myanmar and Thailand has a common historical origin. Further differentiation among Thai isolates was possible by assessing copy numbers of the TTC sequence, a more polymorphic microsatellite locus.

  17. Infrared view of Bangkok, Thailand

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1992-04-02

    The Bight of Bangkok and the city of Bangkok, Thailand are visible in this west looking view. The city of Bangkok, with an estimated population in excess of 3.7 million people, can be seen in the lower right-hand corner of the view. The city, famous as a jewelry trading center, dealing in precious stones and silver and bronze ware, is situated in a vast lowland. This lowland is a major rice growing area interspersed with canals used for irrigation and drainage. Rice is a major export commodity of Thailand. The deforested hills of the Bilauktaung Range can be seen at the top of the view.

  18. Educational Expenditures in Thailand: Development, Trends, and Distribution

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sagarik, Danuvas

    2014-01-01

    This article aims to investigate the trends of education expenditure policy during the past few decades, as well as the recent allocation and distribution of education expenditure in Thailand. It also focuses on the development of the substance of education policy in Thailand. Political connection with the education expenditure policy is also…

  19. Are marketing campaigns in Taiwan by foreign tobacco companies targeting young smokers?

    PubMed

    Wen, C P; Chen, T; Tsai, Y-Y; Tsai, S P; Chung, W S I; Cheng, T Y; Levy, D T; Hsu, C C; Peterson, R; Liu, W-Y

    2005-06-01

    To assess the impact of promotions on cigarette sales in Taiwan after the cigarette market opened to foreign companies, and to assess whether young smokers were targeted by these companies. Trends in cigarette sales, advertising expenditure, brand preference, and cigarette consumption were examined for the period following the 1987 opening of the cigarette market. Tobacco industry internal documents from Legacy Tobacco Documents Library of the University of California, San Francisco, were searched for corporate strategies on promoting youth consumption in Taiwan. Between 1995 and 2000, the inflation adjusted advertising expenditures by all foreign firms increased fourfold. Much of the expenditure was spent on brand stretching the Mild Seven (Japan) and Davidoff (Germany) brands in television advertising. By 2000, the market share of foreign cigarettes exceeded domestics by three to one among young smokers and the leading brand preferred by this segment shifted from the most popular domestic brand (Long Life) to a foreign brand (Mild Seven). Furthermore, there was a sudden increase of 16.4% in smoking rates among young adults (from 36.1% to 42.0%) during the first five years after the market opened. This was also accompanied by increased per capita cigarette consumption and decreased age of smoking initiation. Industry documents confirmed the use of strategies targeted at the young. In particular, establishing new point of sale (POS) retail stores or promotional activities at POS were found to be more effective than advertising in magazines. This study provides evidence that advertising increased with increased competition following the market opening, which, in turn, spurred cigarette sales and consumption. Foreign tobacco companies have deliberately targeted youth in Taiwan and succeeded in gaining three quarters of their cigarette purchases within a decade. Expanding youth consumption will incur excessive future health care costs borne by society. Foreign tobacco

  20. Seismic hazards in Thailand: a compilation and updated probabilistic analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pailoplee, Santi; Charusiri, Punya

    2016-06-01

    A probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) for Thailand was performed and compared to those of previous works. This PSHA was based upon (1) the most up-to-date paleoseismological data (slip rates), (2) the seismic source zones, (3) the seismicity parameters ( a and b values), and (4) the strong ground-motion attenuation models suggested as being suitable models for Thailand. For the PSHA mapping, both the ground shaking and probability of exceedance (POE) were analyzed and mapped using various methods of presentation. In addition, site-specific PSHAs were demonstrated for ten major provinces within Thailand. For instance, a 2 and 10 % POE in the next 50 years of a 0.1-0.4 g and 0.1-0.2 g ground shaking, respectively, was found for western Thailand, defining this area as the most earthquake-prone region evaluated in Thailand. In a comparison between the ten selected specific provinces within Thailand, the Kanchanaburi and Tak provinces had comparatively high seismic hazards, and therefore, effective mitigation plans for these areas should be made. Although Bangkok was defined as being within a low seismic hazard in this PSHA, a further study of seismic wave amplification due to the soft soil beneath Bangkok is required.

  1. Validity of EQ-5D in general population of Taiwan: results of the 2009 National Health Interview and Drug Abuse Survey of Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Yu, Sheng-Tsung; Chang, Hsing-Yi; Yao, Kai-Ping; Lin, Yu-Hsuan; Hurng, Baai-Shyun

    2015-10-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the validity of the EuroQOL five dimensions questionnaire (EQ-5D) using a nationally representative data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) through comparison with short-form 36 (SF-36). Data for this study came from the 2009 NHIS in Taiwan. The study sample was the 4007 participants aged 20-64 years who completed the survey. We used SUDAAN 10.0 (SAS-Callable) to carry out weighed estimation and statistical inference. The EQ index was estimated using norm values from a Taiwanese study as well as from Japan and the United Kingdom (UK). The SF-36 score was standardized using American norm values. In terms of concurrent validity, the EQ-5D met the five hypotheses. The results did not fulfill hypothesis that women would have lower visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS) scores. In terms of discriminant validity, the EQ-5D fulfilled two hypotheses. Our results approached but did not fulfill hypothesis that there would be a weak association between the physical and psychological dimensions of the EQ-5D and the mental component summary score of the SF-36. Results were comparable regardless of whether the Japanese or UK norm value sets were used. We were able to fulfill many, not all of our validity hypotheses regardless of whether the established Japanese or UK norm value sets or the Taiwanese norm values were used. The EQ-5D is an effective and simple instrument for assessing health-related quality of life of general population in Taiwan.

  2. Molecular characterization of Nipah virus from Pteropus hypomelanus in Southern Thailand.

    PubMed

    Wacharapluesadee, Supaporn; Samseeneam, Panumas; Phermpool, Mana; Kaewpom, Thongchai; Rodpan, Apaporn; Maneeorn, Pattarapol; Srongmongkol, Phimchanok; Kanchanasaka, Budsabong; Hemachudha, Thiravat

    2016-03-25

    Nipah virus (NiV) first emerged in Malaysia in 1998, with two bat species (Pteropus hypomelanus and P. vampyrus) as the putative natural reservoirs. In 2002, NiV IgG antibodies were detected in these species from Thailand, but viral RNA could not be detected for strain characterization. Two strains of NiV (Malaysia and Bangladesh) have been found in P. lylei in central Thailand, although Bangladesh strain, the causative strain for the outbreak in Bangladesh since 2001, was dominant. To understand the diversity of NiV in Thailand, this study identified NiV strain, using molecular characterizations, from P. hypomelanus in southern Thailand. Pooled bat urine specimens were collected from plastic sheet underneath bat roosts in April 2010, and then monthly from December 2010 to May 2011 at an island in southern Thailand. Five in 184 specimens were positive for NiV, using duplex nested RT-PCR assay on partial nucleocapsid fragment (357 bp). Whole sequences of nucleocapsid gene from four bats were characterized. All 5 partial fragments and 4 whole nucleocapsid genes formed a monophyletic with NiV-MY. Our study showed that P. hypomelanus in southern Thailand and from Malaysia, a bordering country, harbored similar NiV. This finding indicates that NiV is not limited to central Thailand or P. lylei species, and it may be a source of inter-species transmission. This indicates a higher potential for a widespread NiV outbreak in Thailand. NiV surveillance in Pteropus bats, the major natural reservoirs, should be conducted continuously in countries or regions with high susceptibility to outbreaks.

  3. Equitable Prices of Single-Source Drugs in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Ngorsuraches, Surachat; Chaiyakan, Kanokkan

    2015-08-01

    In Thailand, total drug expenditure has grown rapidly. Recently, the Thai government has addressed the issue of drug pricing, but the prices of single-source drugs remain a major challenge. To examine equitable prices of single-source drugs in Thailand. A total of 98 single-source and high-expenditure drugs were examined. Unit prices from the Drug and Medical Supplies Information Center (DMSIC) and National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) were used to represent drug prices at the provider level in Thailand and the U.S., respectively. Data for measuring drug affordability, e.g., dose and poverty line, were obtained from Micromedex online and the National Statistical Office (NSO). The U.S. drug prices were adjusted by the Human Development Index (HDI) to be equitable prices for Thailand. Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) was used to convert US currency into Thai baht. All prices in this study were based on the year 2012. Catastrophic, Impoverishment, and WHO/Health Action International (HAI) approaches were used to determine Thai citizens' ability to afford the study drugs. Finally, uncertainty analyses were conducted. From all study drugs, 55 single-source drugs were priced higher than their equitable prices, ranging from 0.38 to 422.36% higher. Among these, 28 items were antineoplastic drugs. The prices of drugs outside the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), as well as the country's newer drugs, tended to be higher than their calculated equitable prices. The majority of drugs in Thailand priced higher than equitable prices were unaffordable for most Thai citizens. The uncertainty analyses revealed that almost all results were relatively robust. Most single-source drug prices in Thailand were higher than their equitable prices, and were likely to be unaffordable to Thai citizens.

  4. Establishing of National Birth Defects Registry in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Pangkanon, Suthipong; Sawasdivorn, Siraporn; Kuptanon, Chulaluck; Chotigeat, Uraiwan; Vandepitte, Warunee

    2014-06-01

    Deaths attributed to birth defects are a major cause of infant and under-five mortality as well as lifetime disabilities among those who survive. In Thailand, birth defects contribute to 21% of neonatal deaths. There is currently no systematic registry for congenital anomalies in Thailand. Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health has initiated a Thailand Birth Defects Registry to capture birth defects among newborn infants. To establish the national birth defects registry in order to determine the burden of birth defects in Thailand. The birth defects data come from four main sources: National Birth Registry Database; National Health Security Office's reimbursement database; Online Birth Defect Registry Database designed to capture new cases that were detected later; and birth defects data from 20 participated hospitals. All data are linked by unique 13-digit national identification number and International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 codes. This registry includes 19 common structural birth defects conditions and pilots in 20 hospitals. The registry is hospital-based, hybrid reporting system, including only live births whose information was collected up to 1 year of age. 3,696 infants out of 67,813 live births (8.28% of total live births in Thailand) were diagnosed with congenital anomalies. The prevalence rate of major anomalies was 26.12 per 1,000 live births. The five most common birth defects were congenital heart defects, limb anomalies, cleft lip/cleft palate, Down syndrome, and congenital hydrocephalus respectively. The present study established the Birth Defects Registry by collecting data from four databases in Thailand. Information obtained from this registry and surveillance is essential in the planning for effective intervention programs for birth defects. The authors suggest that this program should be integrated in the existing public health system to ensure sustainability.

  5. The Geothermal Potential, Current and Opportunity in Taiwan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Song, Sheng-Rong

    2016-04-01

    Located in the west Pacific Rim of Fire, Taiwan possesses rich geothermal resources due to volcanic activities and rapid uplifting of plate collision. Based on available data prior to 1980, Taiwan may have about 1 GWe of potential shallow geothermal energy, which is less than 3% of the national gross power generation. A 3-Mw pilot power plant, therefore, was constructed in 1981 and terminated in 1993 in the Chingshui geothermal field of Ilan, northeastern Taiwan. Recently, one of the National Science & Technology Program (NSTP) projects has been conducting research and reevaluating the island-wide deep geothermal energy. Four hot potential sites have been recognized. They are: (1) Tatun Volcano Group of northern Taiwan; (2) I-Lan Plain of NE Taiwan; (3) Lu-Shan area of Central Taiwan; and (4) Hua-Tung area of eastern Taiwan. We found that the geothermal resource in Taiwan may be as high as 160 GWe, with 33.6 GWe of exploitable geothermal energy. There are no any commercial geothermal power plants until now in Taiwan, although the potential is great. However, geothermal energy has been listed as one of major tasks of National Energy Program, Phase II (NEP-II) in Taiwan. We will conduct more detailed geothermal energy surveys on some proposed hot sites and to construct an EGS pilot geothermal plant with 1 MWe capability in a few years. Currently, there are three nuclear power plants, named No. 1, 2 & 3, in operations, which produce 16.5% gross generation of electricity and one (No. 4) is under construction, but is stopped and sealed now in Taiwan. Furthermore, the life-span of 40-year operation for those three power plants will be close-at hand and retire in 2018-2019, 2021-2023 and 2024-2025, respectively. Therefore, to find alternative energy sources, especially on the clean, renewable and sustainable ones for generating electricity are emergent and important for Taiwan's government in next few years. Among various energy sources, geothermal energy can be as base

  6. Cancer control programs in East Asia: evidence from the international literature.

    PubMed

    Moore, Malcolm A

    2014-07-01

    Cancer is a major cause of mortality and morbidity throughout the world, including the countries of North-East and South-East Asia. Assessment of burden through cancer registration, determination of risk and protective factors, early detection and screening, clinical practice, interventions for example in vaccination, tobacco cessation efforts and palliative care all should be included in comprehensive cancer control programs. The degree to which this is possible naturally depends on the resources available at local, national and international levels. The present review concerns elements of cancer control programs established in China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan in North-East Asia, Viet Nam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia as representative larger countries of South-East Asia for comparison, using the published literature as a guide. While major advances have been made, there are still areas which need more attention, especially in South-East Asia, and international cooperation is essential if standard guidelines are to be generated to allow effective cancer control efforts throughout the Far East. Cancer is a major cause of mortality and morbidity throughout the world, including the countries of North-East and South-East Asia. Assessment of burden through cancer registration, determination of risk and protective factors, early detection and screening, clinical practice, interventions for example in vaccination, tobacco cessation efforts and palliative care all should be included in comprehensive cancer control programs. The degree to which this is possible naturally depends on the resources available at local, national and international levels. The present review concerns elements of cancer control programs established in China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan in North-East Asia, Viet Nam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia as representative larger countries of South-East Asia for comparison, using the published literature as a guide. While major advances have been made

  7. Japan.

    PubMed

    1987-02-01

    Japan is composed of 4 main islands and more than 3900 smaller islands and has 317.7 persons/square kilometer. This makes it one of the most densely populated nations in the world. Religion is an important force in the life of the Japanese and most consider themselves Buddhists. Schooling is free through junior high but 90% of Japanese students complete high school. In fact, Japan enjoys one of the highest literacy rates in the world. There are over 178 newspapers and 3500 magazines published in Japan and the number of new book titles issued each year is greater than that in the US. Since WW1, Japan expanded its influence in Asia and its holdings in the Pacific. However, as a direct result of WW2, Japan lost all of its overseas possessions and was able to retain only its own islands. Since 1952, Japan has been ruled by conservative governments which cooperate closely with the West. Great economic growth has come since the post-treaty period. Japan as a constitutional monarchy operates within the framework of a constitution which became effective in May 1947. Executive power is vested in a cabinet which includes the prime minister and the ministers of state. Japan is one of the most politically stable of the postwar democracies and the Liberal Democratic Party is representative of Japanese moderate conservatism. The economy of Japan is strong and growing. With few resources, there is only 19% of Japanese land suitable for cultivation. Its exports earn only about 19% of the country's gross national product. More than 59 million workers comprise Japan's labor force, 40% of whom are women. Japan and the US are strongly linked trading partners and after Canada, Japan is the largest trading partner of the US. Foreign policy since 1952 has fostered close cooperation with the West and Japan is vitally interested in good relations with its neighbors. Relations with the Soviet Union are not close although Japan is attempting to improve the situation. US policy is based on

  8. The molecular epidemiology of HIV in Asia.

    PubMed

    Weniger, B G; Takebe, Y; Ou, C Y; Yamazaki, S

    1994-01-01

    The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was introduced readily into Asia and has quickly spread between Asian states through both parenteral and sexual modes of transmission. Only 1 year after Thailand's epidemic wave among intravenous drug users (IDUs) in 1988, the virus spread to the adjacent Myanmar and Malaysia, and another year later IDUs were infected in parts of India and China bordering Myanmar. Several methods can be used to quantify the genetic diversity, divergence, or variation within or between subtypes, genotypes, or isolates. Consensus sequences, representing the most common nucleotide in the genome, are often generated for comparison. 8 subtypes A through F, H, and O have been described for HIV-1 based on the genetic similarities and differences in the env gene or viral envelope. Subtype A and D have been found primarily in central and western Africa. Subtype B is predominant in Europe, the Western hemisphere, Japan, and Australia. Subtype C has been found mostly in southern Africa, the Central African Republic, and India. Subtype E was first identified in Thailand and recently in the Central African Republic. Subtype F has been found in Romania and is a rare variant in Brazil. Isolates from Gabon and the Russian Federation were designated subtype H. An "outlier" subtype O containing 2 human and 2 chimpanzee isolates has been identified in Cameroon and Gabon. Sequencing of the relatively conserved gag gene of geographically diverse HIV-1 isolates yielded a classification with 7 subtypes A-D and F-H. Other topics discussed include genome characterization, comparison with foreign isolates, segregation by mode of transmission, and biologic properties of HIV-1 variants in Thailand; regional diversity of HIV-1 subtypes and substantial spread of HIV-2 in India; as well as HIV transmission and infections in Japan, Australia, Cambodia, China, Taiwan, Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar, and in states created out of the former Soviet Union.

  9. Concentrating Solar Power Projects in Thailand | Concentrating Solar Power

    Science.gov Websites

    ;alphabetical by project name. You can browse a project profile by clicking on the project name. Thai Solar | NREL Thailand Concentrating solar power (CSP) projects in Thailand are listed belowâ€"

  10. Analysis of the VP2 protein gene of canine parvovirus strains from affected dogs in Japan.

    PubMed

    Soma, Takehisa; Taharaguchi, Satoshi; Ohinata, Tsuyoshi; Ishii, Hiroshi; Hara, Motonobu

    2013-04-01

    To clarify the evolution of canine parvovirus 2 (CPV-2) that has recently been epidemic in Japan, VP2 gene sequences at positions 3556-4166 were analyzed in 107 CPV-2 strains obtained from rectal swabs of diarrheic dogs from 2009 to 2011. CPV-2b (95 strains) was more frequently detected than CPV-2a (nine strains), while CPV-2c was not detected. Remaining three strains were identified as the original type CPV-2, which should be derived from vaccines. These findings are similar to the previous results involving Japanese strains, suggesting there has been no great change in the recent CPV-2 epidemic in Japan. This epidemic is the same as that in Taiwan. Furthermore, a 324-lle mutant, which has been reported in Korean and Chinese strains, was detected in 66.7% of CPV-2a strains. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Japan.

    PubMed

    1989-02-01

    Japan consists of 3900 islands and lies off the east coast of Asia. Even though Japan is one of the most densely populated nations in the world, its growth rate has stabilized at .5%. 94% of all children go to senior high school and almost 90% finish. Responsibility for the sick, aged, and infirmed is changing from the family and private sector to government. Japan was founded in 600 BC and its 1st capital was in Nara (710-1867). The Portuguese, the 1st Westerners to make contact with Japan in 1542, opened trade which lasted until the mid 17th century. US Navy Commodore Matthew Perry forced Japan to reopen in 1854. Following wars with China and Russia in the late 1800s and early 1900s respectively, Japan took part in World Wars I and II. In between these wars Japan invaded Manchuria and China. The US dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Japanese surrendered in September, 1945 ending World War II (WWII). Following, WWII, the Allied Powers guided Japan's establishment as a nonthreatening nation and a democratic parliamentary government (a constitutional monarchy) with a limited defense force. Japan remains one of the most politically stable of all postwar democracies. The Liberal Democratic Party's Noboru Takeshita became prime minister in 1987. Japan has limited natural resources and only 19% of the land is arable. Japanese ingenuity and skill combine to produce one of the highest per hectare crop yields in the world. Japan is a major economic power, and its and the US economies are becoming more interdependent. Its exports, making up only 13% of the gross national product, mainly go to Canada and the US. Many in the US are concerned, however, with the trade deficit with Japan and are seeking ways to make trade more equitable. Japan wishes to maintain good relations with its Asian neighbors and other nations. The US and Japan enjoy a strong, productive relationship.

  12. Herbal Medicine Research in Taiwan*

    PubMed Central

    Kaphle, Krishna; Wu, Leang-Shin; Yang, Nai-Yen Jack; Lin, Jen-Hsou

    2006-01-01

    Of all the countries in the world, why did you choose Taiwan to pursue your study? It is a question that I (comments of the first author) have answered a thousand times. My first visit to a laboratory at National Taiwan University opened my eyes to the possibilities of herbal medicine research, especially in the area of veterinary medicine. It became my ambition to link the knowledge of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda from the Indian subcontinent and their integration with other systems of medicine, including Western medicine (WM), to achieve the concept of Sustainable Medicine, firstly for animals and then for humans. The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) has implemented a technology development program to quickly establish the key technologies, and this is a moment of opportunity for Taiwan's traditional herbal medicine industry to upgrade and transform itself. This paper, initially intended to be a student's narration, has evolved into a multi-author treatise on the present state and likely future scenario of herbal medicine research in Taiwan. PMID:16550238

  13. Epidemiology of head and neck cancer in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Tangjaturonrasme, Napadon; Vatanasapt, Patravoot; Bychkov, Andrey

    2018-02-01

    Cancer is the most common cause of death in Thailand, with the mortality almost doubled during 1998-2011 (from 48.4 to 95.2 per 100 000). The estimated number of new cancer cases in 2011 was 112 392. Our review provides baseline data on the current epidemiological situation with head and neck (HN) cancer in Thailand based on reports of the National Cancer Registry and findings from local and international publications. Collectively, HN cancer approaches age-standardized rate (ASR) incidence of 15.7 and 10.7 per 100 000 males and females, respectively, and is ranked among the top five dominant cancers in Thailand. The leading HN malignancies in men are oral (ASR incidence 4.6 per 100 000), nasopharyngeal (ASR 2.8) and laryngeal (ASR 2.7) cancers, while the most common cancers in women are thyroid (ASR 5.1) and oral (ASR 3.2) carcinomas. Some local habits (betel quid chewing, traditional cigarette smoking and alcohol intake) are associated with the high incidence of oral cancer in Northeast Thailand. Despite important prognostic significance, the role of human papillomavirus infection in various HN cancers from Thailand has been scarcely addressed. There is a growing incidence of thyroid cancer over the last two decades. The Thai population overall, compared to worldwide rates of HN malignancies, has a lower incidence of laryngeal and thyroid cancers but higher incidence of nasopharyngeal cancer. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  14. Outbreaks of Tilapia Lake Virus Infection, Thailand, 2015-2016.

    PubMed

    Surachetpong, Win; Janetanakit, Taveesak; Nonthabenjawan, Nutthawan; Tattiyapong, Puntanat; Sirikanchana, Kwanrawee; Amonsin, Alongkorn

    2017-06-01

    During 2015-2016, several outbreaks of tilapia lake virus infection occurred among tilapia in Thailand. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the virus from Thailand grouped with a tilapia virus (family Orthomyxoviridae) from Israel. This emerging virus is a threat to tilapia aquaculture in Asia and worldwide.

  15. Lesbian studies in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Enteen, Jillana

    2007-01-01

    This piece provides an overview of the state of Lesbian Studies and women who love women in Thailand. It reflects on the cross-cultural limitations of the term 'lesbian' and Thai ambivalence towards Western sex and gender categorizations.

  16. [Nursing manpower and solutions in Taiwan].

    PubMed

    Teng, Su-Wen

    2014-04-01

    The shortage of nursing manpower is a long-term problem worldwide that affects Taiwan despite this country's internationally admired achievements in terms of its healthcare and national health insurance systems. This article reviews discussions related to the nursing shortage issue published by the World Health Organization, International Council of Nurses, and Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare. Next, an overview is given of the nursing workforce profile, causal factors behind the nursing shortage, and demand for and supply of nursing manpower. Finally, problems, resolutions, and expected outcomes for the nursing shortage in Taiwan are analyzed.

  17. 76 FR 13982 - Antidumping Duty Order: Polyvinyl Alcohol From Taiwan

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-03-15

    ...: Polyvinyl Alcohol From Taiwan AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, Department... on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) from Taiwan. DATES: Effective Date: March 15, 2011. FOR FURTHER... from Taiwan. See Polyvinyl Alcohol From Taiwan: Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value...

  18. What factors influence healthy aging? A person-centered approach among older adults in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Liu, Li-Fan; Su, Pei-Fang

    2017-05-01

    The present study aimed to identify the health profiles of older adults by using latent class analysis to investigate health heterogeneity and to determine what factors predicted healthy aging among an oldest-old sample cohort that was followed up for 14 years in Taiwan. Data were drawn from five waves (carried out in 1993, 1996, 1999, 2003 and 2007) of the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging to examine the changes in health heterogeneity in a nationally representative oldest-old cohort of Taiwanese. Overall, data from a total of 11 145 observations of 3155 older adults were considered. The influential factors predicting health changes were analyzed by using a generalized estimating equation. The results showed that four health profiles were identified among the aging population observed in the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging. With increasing age, the combined effects of the physical functioning, cognitive and emotional health, and comorbidities of older adults significantly impact their health changes. Apart from health deteriorating with age and sex disparities, educational and economic status, health behaviors, and social participation at the individual level were found to be the robust factors in predicting healthy aging. In considering what factors impact healthy aging, we suggest that a person-centered approach would be useful and critical for policy makers to understand the compositions of health profiles and the influencing factors in view of a life-course perspective. Based on the factors identified as influencing healthy aging at the individual level, it is imperative from a policy-making perspective to maximize opportunities for healthy aging. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 697-707. © 2016 Japan Geriatrics Society.

  19. Comparisons of guardianship laws and surrogate decision-making practices in China, Japan, Thailand and Australia: a review by the Asia Consortium, International Psychogeriatric Association (IPA) capacity taskforce.

    PubMed

    Tsoh, Joshua; Peisah, Carmelle; Narumoto, Jin; Wongpakaran, Nahathai; Wongpakaran, Tinakon; O'Neill, Nick; Jiang, Tao; Ogano, Shoichi; Mimura, Masaru; Kato, Yuka; Chiu, Helen

    2015-06-01

    The International Psychogeriatric Association (IPA) capacity taskforce was established to promote the autonomy, proper access to care, and dignity of persons with decision-making disabilities (DMDs) across nations. The Asia Consortium of the taskforce was established to pursue these goals in the Asia-Pacific region. This paper is part of the Asia Consortium's initiative to promote understanding and advocacy in regard to surrogate decision-making across the region. The current guardianship laws are compared, and jurisdictional variations in the processes for proxy decision-making to support persons with DMDs and other health and social needs in China, Japan, Thailand, and Australia are explored. The different Asia-Pacific countries have various proxy decision-making mechanisms in place for persons with DMDs, which are both formalized according to common law, civil law, and other legislation, and shaped by cultural practices. Various processes for guardianship and mechanisms for medical decision-making and asset management exist across the region. Processes that are still evolving across the region include those that facilitate advanced planning as a result of the paucity of legal structures for enduring powers of attorney (EPA) and guardianship in some regions, and the struggle to achieve consensual positions in regard to end-of-life decision-making. Formal processes for supporting decision-making are yet to be developed. The diverse legal approaches to guardianship and administration must be understood to meet the challenges of the rapidly ageing population in the Asia-Pacific region. Commonalities in the solutions and difficulties faced in encountering these challenges have global significance.

  20. Opisthorchiasis and Opisthorchis-associated cholangiocarcinoma in Thailand and Laos

    PubMed Central

    Sripa, Banchob; Bethony, Jeffrey M.; Sithithaworn, Paiboon; Kaewkes, Sasithorn; Mairiang, Eimorn; Loukas, Alex; Mulvenna, Jason; Laha, Thewarach; Hotez, Peter J.; Brindley, Paul J.

    2010-01-01

    Liver fluke infection caused by Opisthorchis viverrini is a major public health problem in Thailand and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR; Laos). Currently, more than 600 million people are at risk of infection with these fish-borne trematodes and/or their close relatives. Opisthorchiasis has been studied extensively in Thailand, where about 8 million people are infected with the liver fluke. Here we review the pathogenesis, control and re-emergence of O. viverrini infection, in particular in Thailand and, to a lesser extent in Lao PDR given the contiguous geographical range of O. viverrini through these two regions. We also review the association of O. viverrini infection and cholangiocarcinoma, bile duct cancer, and highlight new findings on pathogenesis of liver fluke induced cholangiocarcinogenesis. Last, we comment on national control strategies in Thailand for the control of O. viverrini infection aimed at reduction in the prevalence of O. viverrini-associated liver cancer in the longer term. PMID:20655862

  1. Opisthorchiasis and Opisthorchis-associated cholangiocarcinoma in Thailand and Laos.

    PubMed

    Sripa, Banchob; Bethony, Jeffrey M; Sithithaworn, Paiboon; Kaewkes, Sasithorn; Mairiang, Eimorn; Loukas, Alex; Mulvenna, Jason; Laha, Thewarach; Hotez, Peter J; Brindley, Paul J

    2011-09-01

    Liver fluke infection caused by Opisthorchis viverrini is a major public health problem in Thailand and the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR; Laos). Currently, more than 600 million people are at risk of infection with these fish-borne trematodes and/or their close relatives. Opisthorchiasis has been studied extensively in Thailand, where about 8 million people are infected with the liver fluke. Here we review the pathogenesis, control and re-emergence of O. viverrini infection, in particular in Thailand and, to a lesser extent in Lao PDR given the contiguous geographical range of O. viverrini through these two regions. We also review the association of O. viverrini infection and cholangiocarcinoma, bile duct cancer, and highlight new findings on pathogenesis of liver fluke-induced cholangiocarcinogenesis. Last, we comment on national control strategies in Thailand for the control of O. viverrini infection aimed at reduction in the prevalence of O. viverrini-associated liver cancer in the longer term. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Evaluating the economic damages of transport disruptions using a transnational and interregional input-output model for Japan, China, and South Korea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Irimoto, Hiroshi; Shibusawa, Hiroyuki; Miyata, Yuzuru

    2017-10-01

    Damage to transportation networks as a result of natural disasters can lead to economic losses due to lost trade along those links in addition to the costs of damage to the infrastructure itself. This study evaluates the economic damages of transport disruptions such as highways, tunnels, bridges, and ports using a transnational and interregional Input-Output Model that divides the world into 23 regions: 9 regions in Japan, 7 regions in China, and 4 regions in Korea, Taiwan, ASEAN5, and the USA to allow us to focus on Japan's regional and international links. In our simulation, economic ripple effects of both international and interregional transport disruptions are measured by changes in the trade coefficients in the input-output model. The simulation showed that, in the case of regional links in Japan, a transport disruption in the Kanmon Straits causes the most damage to our targeted world, resulting in economic damage of approximately 36.3 billion. In the case of international links among Japan, China, and Korea, damage to the link between Kanto in Japan and Huabei in China causes economic losses of approximately 31.1 billion. Our result highlights the importance of disaster prevention in the Kanmon Straits, Kanto, and Huabei to help ensure economic resilience.

  3. Physics teaching in the medical schools of Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Hsu, Jiann-wien; Hsu, Roy

    2012-02-01

    We describe and analyze the statistics of general physics and laboratory courses in the medical schools of Taiwan. We explore the development of the general physics curriculum for medical students of Taiwan. Also, an approach to designing a general physics course in combination with its application to medical sciences is proposed. We hope this preliminary study can provide a useful reference for physics colleagues in the medical schools of Taiwan to revolutionize the dynamics of teaching physics to the medical students of Taiwan. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  4. Land, carbon and water footprints in Taiwan

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

    Lee, Yung-Jaan, E-mail: yungjaanlee@gmail.com

    The consumer responsibility approach uses footprints as indicators of the total direct and indirect effects of a product or consumption activity. This study used a time-series analysis of three environmental pressures to quantify the total environmental pressures caused by consumption in Taiwan: land footprint, carbon footprint, and water footprint. Land footprint is the pressure from appropriation of biologically productive land and water area. Carbon footprint is the pressure from greenhouse gas emissions. Water footprint is the pressure from freshwater consumption. Conventional carbon footprint is the total CO{sub 2} emitted by a certain activity or the CO{sub 2} accumulation during amore » product life cycle. This definition cannot be used to convert CO{sub 2} emissions into land units. This study responds to the needs of “CO{sub 2} land” in the footprint family by applying the carbon footprint concept used by GFN. The analytical results showed that consumption by the average Taiwan citizen in 2000 required appropriation of 5.39 gha (hectares of land with global-average biological productivity) and 3.63 gha in 2011 in terms of land footprint. The average Taiwan citizen had a carbon footprint of 3.95 gha in 2000 and 5.94 gha in 2011. These results indicate that separately analyzing the land and carbon footprints enables their trends to be compared and appropriate policies and strategies for different sectors to be proposed accordingly. The average Taiwan citizen had a blue water footprint of 801 m{sup 3} in 2000 and 784 m{sup 3} in 2011. By comparison, their respective global averages were 1.23 gha, 2.36 gha and 163 m{sup 3} blue water in 2011, respectively. Overall, Taiwan revealed higher environmental pressures compared to the rest of the world, demonstrating that Taiwan has become a high footprint state and has appropriated environmental resources from other countries. That is, through its imports of products with embodied pressures and its exports

  5. Thailand conquered under-nutrition very successfully but has not slowed obesity.

    PubMed

    Chavasit, V; Kasemsup, V; Tontisirin, K

    2013-11-01

    Under-nutrition in Thailand has been successfully controlled for over two decades. However, Thailand is now facing a double-burden malnutrition problem where under- and over-nutrition coexist. Overweight, obesity, and related diseases are the main nutritional challenges, leading to high costs for curative care. Thailand foresees that nutrition can be an effective strategy for preventing diet-related non-communicable chronic diseases, and the country aims to reduce costs for secondary and tertiary health care. Various organizations have conducted national programmes, focusing especially on nutrition education and public campaigns, which have been sustainable and not sustainable. Only milk and certain foods for children are mandated for nutrition labeling. Guideline daily amounts is now the nutrient profile mandated for snack foods in Thailand. To increase efficiency, Thailand's National Food Committee has been established to link food, nutrition and health via a multi-sectoral approach. © 2013 The Authors. Obesity Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the International Association for the Study of Obesity.

  6. Three new species of Leptolalax from Thailand (Amphibia, Anura, Megophryidae).

    PubMed

    Matsui, Masafumi

    2006-09-01

    Three new megophryid species, Leptolalax melanoleucus, L. fuliginosus, and L. solus, are described from southwestern and southern Thailand on the bases of acoustic and morphological characteristics. Leptolalax melanoleucus and L. fuliginosus are similar to L. pelodytoides from northern Thailand, but differ from it completely in advertisement call characteristics and ventral color. Leptolalax solus is similar to L. heteropus from peninsular Malaysia, but differs from it by advertisement call, as well as by some body proportions. The distributional pattern of Leptolalax within Thailand is discussed.

  7. 22nd International Conference on Medical Physics 2016, Bangkok, Thailand; Medical physics propelling global health.

    PubMed

    Tsapaki, Virginia; Ibbott, Geoff; Krisanachinda, Anchali; Ng, Kwan-Hoong; Suh, Tae-Suk; Tabakov, Slavik; Damilakis, John

    2017-12-01

    As medical technology evolves and patient needs increase, the need for well-trained and highly professional medical physicists (MPs) becomes even more urgent. The roles and responsibilities of MPs in various departments within the hospital are diverse and demanding. It is obvious that training, continuing education and professional development of MPs have become essential. One of the ways for an MP to advance his or her knowledge is to participate in conferences and congresses. Last year, the 22nd International Conference of Medical Physics (ICMP 2016) took place in Bangkok, Thailand. The event attracted 584 delegates with most of the participants coming from Asia. It attracted also delegates from 42 countries. The largest delegations were from Thailand, Japan and South Korea. ICMP 2016 included 367 oral presentations and e-posters, most of these being in the fields of Radiation Therapy, Medical Imaging and Radiation Safety. All abstracts were published as an e-book of Abstracts in a supplement to the official IOMP Journal. Many companies had exhibition stands at ICMP2016, thus allowing the participants to see the latest developments in the medical physics-related industry. The conference included 42 mini-symposia, part of the first "IOMP School" activity, covering various topics of importance for the profession and this special issue follows from the success of the conference. Copyright © 2017 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. [Prenatal diagnosis of Thailand deletion of α-thalassemia 1 families].

    PubMed

    Lin, N; Lin, Y; Huang, H L; Lin, X L; He, D Q; He, S Q; Guo, D H; Li, Y; Xu, L P

    2016-06-28

    To conduct analysis and prenatal diagnosis on 11 couples carrying Thailand deletion (--(THΑI)) α-thalassemia 1, so as to provide information for clinical genetic counseling on α-thalassemia 1. Altogether 11 Thailand deletion (--(THΑI)) α-thalassemia 1 families were collected from Fujian Maternal and Children Health Hospital from May 2009 to September 2015. Gap-polymerase chain reaction (gap-PCR) and reverse dot blot (RDB) technology were used to detect the thalassemia mutations in the couples and fetuses. In one family, Thailand deletion α-thalassemia 1 was detected in both the pregnant woman and her husband. In 10 families, Thailand deletion α-thalassemia 1 was detected in either the pregnant women or the husband, while the spouses had α-thalassemia heterozygote (1 combined with β thalassemia heterozygote). Thailand deletion α-thalassemia 1 family members all had lower mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH). In prenatal diagnosis of the 12 fetuses, 4 fetuses were found with hemoglobin(Hb) Bart's hydrops fetalis syndrome, 5 were with α-thalassemia heterozygote, and 3 were normal. For couples with positive hematological phenotype but normal results in routine genetic examination of α-thalassemia, attention should be paid especially for with a history of having babies of hydrops fetalis syndrome or hemoglobin H disease. It is necessary to consider the possibility of the rare Thailand deletion (--(THΑI)) α-thalassemia 1. Prenatal diagnosis for high-risk families plays an important role.

  9. Physical Fitness For Futsal Referee Of Football Association In Thailand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thaweesub Koeipakvaen Acting Sub L., t.

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of the research to study physical fitness for futsal Referee of Football Association in Thailand and Compare of the Physical Fitness for first level, second and third futsal Referee of Football Association in Thailand. The population of first level, second and third level futsal Referee of Football Association in Thailand 107 person. The sample were futsal Referee of Football Association in Thailand 97 person. First level futsal Referee 22 person. Second level futsal Referee 11 person. Third level futsal Referee 64 person. The instrument used was futsal physical fitness test of Football Association in Thailand. Endurance Test (1,000 meter), Speed Test (4x10 meter) 2 time, and Agility Test (80 meter) 2 time. The statistic for data analysis were one way Anova, Percentage, Mean, Standard Deviation and F-test. The results were as the follow: (1) the result comparing F-test first level futsal referee with level second and first level futsal referee with third level. the statically significant different at the 0.05 level, and the result comparing Endurance as the follow the Physical Fitness for first level, second and third futsal Referee. the statically significant different at the 0.05 level.

  10. The economics of effective AIDS treatment in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Over, Mead; Revenga, Ana; Masaki, Emiko; Peerapatanapokin, Wiwat; Gold, Julian; Tangcharoensathien, Viroj; Thanprasertsuk, Sombat

    2007-07-01

    The speed with which Thailand has scaled up public provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been unprecedented, with more than 80 000 individuals on treatment at the end of 2006 through Thailand's National Access to Antiretroviral Program for People Living with HIV/AIDS (NAPHA). This paper projects the cost effectiveness, the affordability and the future fiscal burden of NAPHA to the government of Thailand under several different policy scenarios until the year 2025. An economic/epidemiological model of access to ART was constructed, and this composite model was calibrated to economic and epidemiological data from Thailand and other countries. The economic model adopts the conditional logit specification of demand allocation across multiple treatment modes, and the epidemiological model is a deterministic difference-equation model fitted to the cumulated data on HIV incidence in each risk group. The paper estimates that under 2005 prices NAPHA will save life-years at approximately US$736 per life-year saved with first-line drugs alone and for approximately US$2145 per life-year if second-line drugs are included. Enhancing NAPHA with policies to recruit patients soon after they are first eligible for ART or to enhance their adherence would raise the cost per life-year saved, but the cost would be small per additional life-year saved, and is therefore justifiable. The fiscal burden of a policy including second as well as first-line drugs would be substantial, rising to 23% of the total health budget by 2014, but the authors judge this cost to be affordable given Thailand's strong overall economic performance. The paper estimates that a 90% reduction in the future cost of second-line therapy by the exercise of Thailand's World Trade Organization authority to issue compulsory licences would save the government approximately US$3.2 billion to 2025 and reduce the cost of NAPHA per life-year saved from US$2145 to approximately US$940.

  11. From waste minimization to ISO 14000: Taiwan`s experience and prospects

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

    Wen-Huei Chen; Wain-Sun Hou

    Taiwan has completed a very successful five-year industrial waste minimization (IWM) demonstration and promotion project sponsored by the government. From 1990 to 1995, the project successfully disseminated the IWM concept of pollution prevention (P2) to industries. It effectively reduced industrial waste while significantly benefitting the economy by assisting industries in implementing in-plant IWM programs. In July 1995, the second stage of the five-year IWM and ISO 14000 promotion project was initiated for further promoting the IWM, P2, and cleaner production and, in particular, coping with the upcoming international environmental management standards (ISO 14000). To assist industries in establishing an environmentalmore » management system (EMS) and accumulating related experience, an EMS pilot demonstration project of five model industries and an ISO 14001 EMS demonstration and promotion project for 22 factories in 13 industries were initiated in October 1995 and August 1996, respectively. These projects can assist Taiwan`s industries in changing the constitution of their enterprises, enhancing competition in the international market, and helping our nation achieve the forerunner`s profits in sustainable development. 9 refs., 3 figs.« less

  12. Progress Towards a Comprehensive Site Database for Taiwan Strong Motion Network

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kuo, C. H.; Lin, C. M.; Chang, S. C.; Wen, K. L.

    2016-12-01

    Site effect is usually treated as a simple site parameter like Vs30, which is a value of average shear wave velocity for the top 30 m of layers, in Ground Motion Prediction Equations (GMPEs) and engineering seismology. Although debates on usage of Vs30 for its advantage and disadvantage are still an open question, it has become the most widely be used site parameter in ground motion prediction, seismic hazard analysis, and building codes. Depth to the horizons with shear wave velocity of larger than 1.0 km/s (or 1.5 km/s, 2.5 km/s), the so called Z1.0 (or Z1.5, Z2.5), was recently introduced to the GMPEs of the Next Generation of Attenuation Equations (NGA) project in order to make up for the insufficient of Vs30 especially in regions covered by large thickness of sediments. However this kind of data is still rare and quite difficult to be acquired. This parameter is only available in Japan, California, and part region of Turkey at present. The high-frequency attenuation factor, i.e. kappa, is considered a significant parameter controlling attenuation of high-frequency seismic waves. High correlation is believed between kappa and local site conditions. S-wave velocity profiles of the Engineering Geology Database for TSMIP (EGDT) were measured using suspension PS-logging at more than 450 strong ground motion stations throughout Taiwan. Accurate Vs30 is therefore provided by the site database. Although the depths of most stations were only 35 m, Z1.0 still can be derived at dozens of stations near basin edges or piedmont area from EGDT. Several techniques including microtremor array, receiver function, and HVSR inversion have been used to obtain S-wave velocity profiles at strong motion stations and thus the parameter Z1.0 can be derived. A relationship between Vs30 and Z1.0 for Taiwan is consequently evaluated and further compared with those for Japan and California. Kappa at strong motion stations was calculated and a special correlation with Vs30 is found. The

  13. Detection in Japan of an equine-like G3P[8] reassortant rotavirus A strain that is highly homologous to European strains across all genome segments.

    PubMed

    Kikuchi, Wakako; Nakagomi, Toyoko; Gauchan, Punita; Agbemabiese, Chantal Ama; Noguchi, Atsuko; Nakagomi, Osamu; Takahashi, Tsutomu

    2018-03-01

    Equine-like G3P[8] rotavirus A strains with DS-1-like backbone genes have emerged since 2013. An equine-like RVA/Human-wt/JPN/15R429/2015/G3P[8] strain possessing I2-R2-C2-M2-A2-N2-T2-E2-H2 was detected in Japan in 2015. Its VP7 gene was ≥ 99.3% identical to those of equine-like G3P[4] strains detected in Japan, and the remaining 10 genes were 98.6-99.8% identical to G1P[8] double-gene reassortants detected in Japan, Thailand and the Philippines. Thus, 15R429 was likely generated through reassortment between the equine-like G3P[4] and G1P[8] reassortant strains. Notably, 15R429 was 98.5-99.8% identical across all 11 genes of the equine-like G3P[8] strains detected in Spain and Hungary in 2015.

  14. Mathematical modeling of diphtheria transmission in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Sornbundit, Kan; Triampo, Wannapong; Modchang, Charin

    2017-08-01

    In this work, a mathematical model for describing diphtheria transmission in Thailand is proposed. Based on the course of diphtheria infection, the population is divided into 8 epidemiological classes, namely, susceptible, symptomatic infectious, asymptomatic infectious, carrier with full natural-acquired immunity, carrier with partial natural-acquired immunity, individual with full vaccine-induced immunity, and individual with partial vaccine-induced immunity. Parameter values in the model were either directly obtained from the literature, estimated from available data, or estimated by means of sensitivity analysis. Numerical solutions show that our model can correctly describe the decreasing trend of diphtheria cases in Thailand during the years 1977-2014. Furthermore, despite Thailand having high DTP vaccine coverage, our model predicts that there will be diphtheria outbreaks after the year 2014 due to waning immunity. Our model also suggests that providing booster doses to some susceptible individuals and those with partial immunity every 10 years is a potential way to inhibit future diphtheria outbreaks. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Taiwan's second remote sensing satellite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chern, Jeng-Shing; Ling, Jer; Weng, Shui-Lin

    2008-12-01

    FORMOSAT-2 is Taiwan's first remote sensing satellite (RSS). It was launched on 20 May 2004 with five-year mission life and a very unique mission orbit at 891 km altitude. This orbit gives FORMOSAT-2 the daily revisit feature and the capability of imaging the Arctic and Antarctic regions due to the high enough altitude. For more than three years, FORMOSAT-2 has performed outstanding jobs and its global effectiveness is evidenced in many fields such as public education in Taiwan, Earth science and ecological niche research, preservation of the world heritages, contribution to the International Charter: space and major disasters, observation of suspected North Korea and Iranian nuclear facilities, and scientific observation of the atmospheric transient luminous events (TLEs). In order to continue the provision of earth observation images from space, the National Space Organization (NSPO) of Taiwan started to work on the second RSS from 2005. This second RSS will also be Taiwan's first indigenous satellite. Both the bus platform and remote sensing instrument (RSI) shall be designed and manufactured by NSPO and the Instrument Technology Research Center (ITRC) under the supervision of the National Applied Research Laboratories (NARL). Its onboard computer (OBC) shall use Taiwan's indigenous LEON-3 central processing unit (CPU). In order to achieve cost effective design, the commercial off the shelf (COTS) components shall be widely used. NSPO shall impose the up-screening/qualification and validation/verification processes to ensure their normal functions for proper operations in the severe space environments.

  16. Inferring Ethnolinguistic Vitality in a Community of Northeast Thailand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Draper, John Charles

    2010-01-01

    This paper reports on the use of ethnolinguistic vitality as the framework for a sociolinguistic survey measuring attitudes to multilingualism and reporting on the experiences of a community of Northeast Thailand (Isan) that forms part of Thailand's largest minority. The aim of the study was to examine the experiences of participants in a…

  17. 78 FR 45271 - Welded Stainless Steel Pressure Pipe From Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-26

    ... Stainless Steel Pressure Pipe From Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam Determination On the basis of the record... reason of imports from Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam of welded stainless steel pressure pipe, provided... pipe from Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Accordingly, effective May 16, 2013, the Commission...

  18. 75 FR 22424 - Frozen Warmwater Shrimp From Brazil, China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-04-28

    ... Warmwater Shrimp From Brazil, China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam AGENCY: United States International Trade... antidumping duty orders on frozen warmwater shrimp from Brazil, China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam. SUMMARY... duty orders on frozen warmwater shrimp from Brazil, China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam would be likely...

  19. 75 FR 1078 - Frozen Warmwater Shrimp From Brazil, China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-01-08

    ... Warmwater Shrimp From Brazil, China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam AGENCY: United States International Trade... warmwater shrimp from Brazil, China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam. SUMMARY: The Commission hereby gives... shrimp from Brazil, China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam would be likely to lead to continuation or...

  20. 75 FR 48724 - Frozen Warmwater Shrimp From Brazil, China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-08-11

    ... Warmwater Shrimp From Brazil, China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam AGENCY: United States International Trade... warmwater shrimp from Brazil, China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam. SUMMARY: The Commission hereby gives... warmwater shrimp from Brazil, China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam would be likely to lead to continuation or...

  1. 75 FR 57501 - Frozen Warmwater Shrimp From Brazil, China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-09-21

    ... Warmwater Shrimp From Brazil, China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam AGENCY: United States International Trade... warmwater shrimp from Brazil, China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam. SUMMARY: The Commission hereby gives... warmwater shrimp from Brazil, China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam would be likely to lead to continuation or...

  2. Detection of seagrass beds in Khunk Graben Bay, Thailand, using ALOS AVNI2 image

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Komatsu, Teruhisa; Noiraksar, Thidarat; Sakamoto, Shingo X.; Sawayama, Shuhei; Miyamoto, Hiroomi; Phauk, Sophany; Thongdee, Pornthep; Jualaong, Suthep; Nishida, Shuhei

    2012-11-01

    Coastal habitats having high productivity provide numerous ecological services such as foods, protection from strong waves through buffering effect, fixation of CO2 through photosynthesis, fostering biodiversity etc. However, increasing human impacts and climate change decrease or degrade coastal habitats. ASEAN region is developing most rapidly in the world. In the developing region, it is necessary to grasp present spatial distributions of habitats as a baseline data with standardized mapping methods. Remote sensing is one of the most effective methods for mapping. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) provides non-commercial satellite images with ultra-high spatial resolution optical sensors (10 m), AVNIR2, similar to LANDSAT TM. Using ALOS AVNIR2 images it may be possible to make habitat map in the region. In Thailand, shrimp ponds cause degradation of coastal ecosystem through cutting mangroves and eutrophicated discharge from ponds. We examined capability of remote sesing with ALOS AVNIR2 to map seagrass beds in Khung Kraben Bay, Chanthaburi Province, Thailand, surrounded by shrimp ponds. We analyzed ALOS AVNIR2 taken on 25 January 2008. Ground truth survey was conducted in October 2010 using side scan sonar and scuba diving. The survey revealed that there were broad seagrass beds consisting of Enhalus acroides. We used a decision tree to detect seagrass beds in the bay with quite turbid seawater coupled with Depth-Invariant Index proposed by Lyzenga (1985) and bottom reflectances. We could succeed to detect seagrass beds. Thus it is concluded that ALOS AVNIR2 is practical to map seagrass beds in this region.

  3. Opportunity, Choice, and Burglary Victimization in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Kuo, Shih-Ya

    2015-07-01

    This study examined burglary victimization in Taiwan with an application of the structure-choice model that included four theoretical dimensions: proximity to crime, exposure to crime, target attractiveness, and guardianship. Drawing on the 2000 Taiwan Areas Criminal Victimization Survey, the results of the current study showed a moderate effect of the opportunity model on Taiwan's burglary victimization. Also, this study found both consistent and conflicting findings in the current data. The null effect of motorcycles (including scooters) that represented the concept of target attractiveness in relation to burglary risk reflected a difference in population density and transportation needs between Taiwan and the West. Clearly, the role of social context needs to be understood when studies apply a Western model to a non-Western context. © The Author(s) 2014.

  4. 75 FR 36679 - Polyethylene Retail Carrier Bags From China, Malaysia, and Thailand; Determinations

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-28

    ... Carrier Bags From China, Malaysia, and Thailand; Determinations On the basis of the record \\1\\ developed... antidumping duty orders on polyethylene retail carrier bags from China, Malaysia, and Thailand would be likely... Retail Carrier Bags from China, Malaysia, and Thailand: Investigation Nos. 731-TA-1043-1045 (Review). By...

  5. 76 FR 18782 - Frozen Warmwater Shrimp From Brazil, China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-04-05

    ... Warmwater Shrimp From Brazil, China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam Determinations On the basis of the record... revocation of the antidumping duty orders on frozen warmwater shrimp from Brazil, China, India, Thailand, and..., India, Thailand, and Vietnam would not be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material...

  6. Global Molecular Epidemiology of IMP-Producing Enterobacteriaceae

    PubMed Central

    Peirano, Gisele; Motyl, Mary R.; Adams, Mark D.; Chen, Liang; Kreiswirth, Barry; DeVinney, Rebekah

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT International data on the molecular epidemiology of Enterobacteriaceae with IMP carbapenemases are lacking. We performed short-read (Illumina) whole-genome sequencing on a global collection of 38 IMP-producing clinical Enterobacteriaceae (2008 to 2014). IMP-producing Enterobacteriaceae (7 varieties within 11 class 1 integrons) were mainly present in the South Pacific and Asia. Specific blaIMP-containing integrons (In809 with blaIMP-4, In722 with blaIMP-6, and In687 with blaIMP-14) were circulating among different bacteria in countries such as Australia, Japan, and Thailand. In1312 with blaIMP-1 was present in Klebsiella pneumoniae from Japan and Citrobacter freundii from Brazil. Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 22) was the most common species; clonal complex 14 (CC14) from Philippines and Japan was the most common clone and contained In1310 with blaIMP-26 and In1321 with blaIMP-6. The Enterobacter cloacae complex (n = 9) consisted of Enterobacter hormaechei and E. cloacae cluster III. CC78 (from Taiwan) containing In73 with blaIMP-8 was the most common clone among the E. cloacae complex. This study highlights the importance of surveillance programs using the latest molecular techniques for providing insight into the characteristics and global distribution of Enterobacteriaceae with blaIMP genes. PMID:28167555

  7. E-Learning in Thailand: An Analysis and Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Suanpang, Pannee; Petocz, Peter

    2006-01-01

    This article presents a discussion of e-learning in the context of Thailand using as an example a study carried out in a course in Business Statistics at Suan Dusit Rajabhat University (SDU), Thailand. The online course was a pioneering research project at SDU for studying the efficiency and effectiveness of the online learning system. The…

  8. National data on stroke outcomes in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Kongbunkiat, Kannikar; Kasemsap, Narongrit; Thepsuthammarat, Kaewjai; Tiamkao, Somsak; Sawanyawisuth, Kittisak

    2015-03-01

    Stroke is a major public health problem worldwide. There are limited data on national stroke prevalence and outcomes after the beginning of the thrombolytic therapy era in Thailand. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with mortality in stroke patients in Thailand using the national reimbursement databases. Clinical data retrieved included individuals under the universal coverage, social security, and civil servant benefit systems between 1 October 2009 and 30 September 2010. The stroke diagnosis code was based on the International Classification of Diseases 10th revision system including G45 (transient cerebral ischemic attacks and related syndromes), I61 (intracerebral hemorrhage), and I63 (cerebral infarction). The prevalence and stroke outcomes were calculated from these coded data. Factors associated with death were evaluated by multivariable logistic regression analysis. We found that the most frequent stroke subtype was cerebral infarction with a prevalence of 122 patients per 100,000 of population, an average length of hospital stay of 6.8 days, an average hospital charge of 20,740 baht (∼$USD 691), a mortality rate of 7%, and thrombolytic prescriptions of 1%. The significant factors associated with stroke mortality were septicemia, pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, myocardial infarction, status epilepticus, and heart failure. In conclusion, the prevalence and outcomes of stroke in Thailand were comparable with other countries. The era of thrombolytic therapy has just begun in Thailand. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Implications of recent EIA changes in Thailand

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

    Tongcumpou, C.; Harvey, N.

    The practice of environmental impact assessment (EIA) was implemented in Thailand after the revision of the National Environmental Quality Act in 1978. This led to more than 3,000 EIA documents being prepared and officially submitted up to 1992. More recently, a new act, the Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality Act, was introduced in 1992. As a consequence, some aspects of environmental legislation have been improved including the EIA process, which is expected to be more effective under the new act. This article examines the development and implementation of the EIA process in Thailand and its effectiveness in themore » context of its performance as an environmental management tool. The strengths and weaknesses of the EIA process under the original act are analyzed and compared to the new act, using two case studies in order to gain an insight into the EIA system. The first is the Second Stage Expressway in Bangkok, and the second is the Pak Mun Hydroelectric Dam project in Ubon Rachathani, a northeastern province of Thailand. EIAs for these projects were originally submitted according to the requirements of the old act. Both are public projects that have aroused controversy for different environmental reasons, although final decisions have been made facilitating the implementation of these projects. Finally, the article presents some suggestions for improving the content and procedures for the EIA system in Thailand.« less

  10. Cigarette consumption among foreign tourists in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Termsirikulchai, Lakkhana; Kengganpanich, Mondha; Benjakul, Sarunya; Kengganpanich, Tharadol

    2012-06-01

    To explore the cigarette consumption among foreign tourists in Thailand. The data in this cross-sectional survey is collected by interviewing 655 foreign tourist smokers with questionnaires in congested areas including Suvarnabhum International Airport, Khao San Road, shopping centers and tourist attraction sites. The data was collected in October, 2010, analyzed by descriptive statistic and the crude magnitude of cigarette consumption was calculated. The findings indicated that 62.9% of tourists were male and 58.9% were from European countries and 22.7% were from Asian countries. 59.2% smoked cigarettes sold in Thailand and were taxed legally. In that amount, 55.7% smoked imported cigarettes and only 3.5% smoked Thai cigarettes. 40.8% had brought cigarettes from their countries or bought cigarettes from Duty Free shops with the amount allowed by Thai law. The top 2 popular brands were Marlboro and L&M. The main reason why they bought imported cigarettes in Thailand was that the price was cheaper or the same when compared with that in their countries. The cigarette consumption share crudely calculated was around 8.90 million packs. Foreign tourists smoked imported cigarettes distributed in Thailand and cigarettes brought from abroad. So, Free Trade Agreement in bilateral level or multilateral level need to be reviewed and should separate cigarettes from other goods. The tax barrier excise tax measure and permission law of carrying in 200 sticks should be reviewed in order to control cigarette consumption effectively.

  11. Venomous snakebite in Thailand. I: Medically important snakes.

    PubMed

    Chanhome, L; Cox, M J; Wilde, H; Jintakoon, P; Chaiyabutr, N; Sitprija, V

    1998-05-01

    Thailand has an abundance of venomous snakes. Among the neurotoxic family Elapidae, there are three species of the genus Naja (cobras), three of the genus Bungarus (kraits), and the king cobra of the genus Ophiophagus. Other Elapidae snakes in Thailand include sea snakes and Asian coral snakes of the genus Calliophis. They have potent venoms but rarely bite humans. Tissue and hemotoxic snakes are represented by family Viperidae, subfamilies Viperinae and Crotalinae. They remain an occupational hazard for farmers and rubber tappers, causing serious morbidity but only rare deaths, since competent treatment is now widely available throughout Thailand. Purified equine antivenin is manufactured locally for the monocled and Siamese spitting cobras (Naja kaouthia and N. siamensis), king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), banded krait (Bungarus fasciatus), most green pit vipers (Trimeresurus sp.), Malayan pit viper (Calloselasma rhodostoma), and the Siamese Russell's viper (Daboia russelli siamensis).

  12. Isolation of Ralstonia solanacearum-infecting bacteriophages from tomato fields in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and their experimental use as biocontrol agents.

    PubMed

    Bhunchoth, A; Phironrit, N; Leksomboon, C; Chatchawankanphanich, O; Kotera, S; Narulita, E; Kawasaki, T; Fujie, M; Yamada, T

    2015-04-01

    To isolate and characterize novel bacteriophages infecting the phytopathogen, Ralstonia solanacearum, and to evaluate them as resources with potential uses in the biocontrol of bacterial wilt. Fourteen phages infecting R. solanacearum were isolated from soil samples collected in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The phages showed different host ranges when tested against 59 R. solanacearum strains isolated from Thailand and Japan. These phages were characterized as nine podoviruses and five myoviruses based on their morphology. Podovirus J2 in combination with another podovirus (φRSB2) lysed host cells very efficiently in contaminated soil. J2 treatment prevented wilting of tomato plants infected with a highly virulent R. solanacearum strain. Treatment with J2 effectively reduced the amount of the bacterial wilt pathogen in contaminated soil and prevented bacterial wilt of tomato in pot experiments. Myovirus J6 possessed jumbo phage features, giving a unique opportunity to study its utilization as a biocontrol agent. As exemplified by J2, the phages isolated in this study represent valuable resources with potential uses in biocontrol of bacterial wilt. A rare jumbo phage J6 served as a valuable subject to understand and utilize this new group of phages. © 2015 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  13. Full Seismic Waveform Tomography of the Japan region using Adjoint Methods

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Steptoe, Hamish; Fichtner, Andreas; Rickers, Florian; Trampert, Jeannot

    2013-04-01

    We present a full-waveform tomographic model of the Japan region based on spectral-element wave propagation, adjoint techniques and seismic data from dense station networks. This model is intended to further our understanding of both the complex regional tectonics and the finite rupture processes of large earthquakes. The shallow Earth structure of the Japan region has been the subject of considerable tomographic investigation. The islands of Japan exist in an area of significant plate complexity: subduction related to the Pacific and Philippine Sea plates is responsible for the majority of seismicity and volcanism of Japan, whilst smaller micro-plates in the region, including the Okhotsk, and Okinawa and Amur, part of the larger North America and Eurasia plates respectively, contribute significant local intricacy. In response to the need to monitor and understand the motion of these plates and their associated faults, numerous seismograph networks have been established, including the 768 station high-sensitivity Hi-net network, 84 station broadband F-net and the strong-motion seismograph networks K-net and KiK-net in Japan. We also include the 55 station BATS network of Taiwan. We use this exceptional coverage to construct a high-resolution model of the Japan region from the full-waveform inversion of over 15,000 individual component seismograms from 53 events that occurred between 1997 and 2012. We model these data using spectral-element simulations of seismic wave propagation at a regional scale over an area from 120°-150°E and 20°-50°N to a depth of around 500 km. We quantify differences between observed and synthetic waveforms using time-frequency misfits allowing us to separate both phase and amplitude measurements whilst exploiting the complete waveform at periods of 15-60 seconds. Fréchet kernels for these misfits are calculated via the adjoint method and subsequently used in an iterative non-linear conjugate-gradient optimization. Finally, we employ

  14. Estimation of construction waste generation and management in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Kofoworola, Oyeshola Femi; Gheewala, Shabbir H

    2009-02-01

    This study examines construction waste generation and management in Thailand. It is estimated that between 2002 and 2005, an average of 1.1 million tons of construction waste was generated per year in Thailand. This constitutes about 7.7% of the total amount of waste disposed in both landfills and open dumpsites annually during the same period. Although construction waste constitutes a major source of waste in terms of volume and weight, its management and recycling are yet to be effectively practiced in Thailand. Recently, the management of construction waste is being given attention due to its rapidly increasing unregulated dumping in undesignated areas, and recycling is being promoted as a method of managing this waste. If effectively implemented, its potential economic and social benefits are immense. It was estimated that between 70 and 4,000 jobs would have been created between 2002 and 2005, if all construction wastes in Thailand had been recycled. Additionally it would have contributed an average savings of about 3.0 x 10(5) GJ per year in the final energy consumed by the construction sector of the nation within the same period based on the recycling scenario analyzed. The current national integrated waste management plan could enhance the effective recycling of construction and demolition waste in Thailand when enforced. It is recommended that an inventory of all construction waste generated in the country be carried out in order to assess the feasibility of large scale recycling of construction and demolition waste.

  15. Opisthorchiasis in Thailand: review and current status.

    PubMed

    Kaewpitoon, Natthawut; Kaewpitoon, Soraya-J; Pengsaa, Prasit

    2008-04-21

    Opisthorchiasis caused by Opisthorchis viverrini (O. viverrini) remains a major public health problem in many parts of Southeast Asia including Thailand, Lao PDR, Vietnam and Cambodia. The infection is associated with a number of hepatobiliary diseases, including cholangitis, obstructive jaundice, hepatomegaly, cholecystitis, chole-lithiasis and cholangiocarcinoma. The liver fluke infection was induced by eating raw or uncooked fish products that is the tradition and popular in the northeastern and northern region, particularly in rural areas of Thailand. Health education programs to prevent and control opisthorchiasis are still required in high-risk areas.

  16. Physical therapy workforce shortage for aging and aged societies in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Kraiwong, Ratchanok; Vongsirinavarat, Mantana; Soonthorndhada, Kusol

    2014-07-01

    According to demographic changes, the size of the aging population has rapidly increased. Thailand has been facing the "aging society" since 2005 and the "aged society" has been projected to appear by the year 2025. Increased life expectancy is associated with health problems and risks, specifically chronic diseases and disability. Aging and aged societies and related specific conditions as stroke require the provision of services from health professionals. The shortage of the physical therapy workforce in Thailand has been reported. This study investigated the size of physical therapy workforce required for the approaching aging society of Thailand and estimated the number of needed physical therapists, specifically regarding stroke condition. Evidently, the issue of the physical therapy workforce to serve aging and aged societies in Thailand requires advocating and careful arranging.

  17. Molecular evolution of H5N1 in Thailand between 2004 and 2008.

    PubMed

    Suwannakarn, Kamol; Amonsin, Alongkorn; Sasipreeyajan, Jiroj; Kitikoon, Pravina; Tantilertcharoen, Rachod; Parchariyanon, Sujira; Chaisingh, Arunee; Nuansrichay, Bandit; Songserm, Thaweesak; Theamboonlers, Apiradee; Poovorawan, Yong

    2009-09-01

    Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 viruses have seriously affected the Asian poultry industry since their occurrence in 2004. Thailand has been one of those countries exposed to HPAI H5N1 outbreaks. This project was designed to compare the molecular evolution of HPAI H5N1 in Thailand between 2004 and 2008. Viruses with clade 1 hemagglutinin (HA) were first observed in early 2004 and persisted until 2008. Viruses with clade 2.3.4 HA were first observed in the northeastern region of Thailand between 2006 and 2007. Phylogenetic analysis among Thai isolates indicated that clade 1 viruses in Thailand consist of three distinct lineages: CUK2-like, PC168-like, and PC170-like viruses. The CUK2-like virus represents the predominant lineage and has been circulating throughout the course of the 4-year outbreaks. Analysis of recently isolated viruses has shown that the genetic distance was slightly different from viruses of the early outbreak and that CUK2-like viruses comprise the native strain. Between 2005 and 2007, PC168-like and PC170-like viruses were first observed in several areas around central and lower northern Thailand. In 2008, viruses reassorted from these two lineages, PC168-like and PC170-like viruses, were initially isolated in the lower northern provinces of Thailand and subsequently spread to the upper central part of Thailand. On the other hand, CUK2-like viruses were still detected around the lower northern and the upper central part of Thailand. Furthermore, upon emergence of the reassorted viruses, the PC168-like and PC170-like lineages could not be detected, suggesting that the only predominant strains still circulating in Thailand were CUK2-like and reassorted viruses. The substitution rate among clade 1 viruses in Thailand was lower. The virus being limited to the same area might explain the lower nucleotide substitution rate. This study has demonstrated that nationwide attempts to monitor the virus may help curb access and propagation of

  18. 75 FR 23673 - Polyethylene Retail Carrier Bags from Thailand: Extension of Time Limit for Preliminary Results...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-05-04

    ... Bags from Thailand: Extension of Time Limit for Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative... Thailand. See Antidumping Duty Order: Polyethylene Retail Carrier Bags From Thailand, 69 FR 48204 (August 9... Co., Ltd., Landblue (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Sahachit Watana Plastics Ind. Co., Ltd., Thai Plastic Bags...

  19. Quarantine for SARS, Taiwan

    PubMed Central

    King, Chwan-Chuan; Chen, Cathy W. S.; Ho, Mei-Shang; Lee, Jen-Yu; Liu, Feng-Chi; Wu, Yi-Chun

    2005-01-01

    During the 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Taiwan, >150,000 persons were quarantined, 24 of whom were later found to have laboratory-confirmed SARS-coronavirus (SARS-CoV) infection. Since no evidence exists that SARS-CoV is infective before the onset of symptoms and the quarantined persons were exposed but not symptomatic, we thought the quarantine's effectiveness should be investigated. Using the Taiwan quarantine data, we found that the onset-to-diagnosis time of previously quarantined confirmed case-patients was significantly shortened compared to that for those who had not been quarantined. Thus, quarantine for SARS in Taiwan screened potentially infective persons for swift diagnosis and hospitalization after onset, thereby indirectly reducing infections. Full-scale quarantine measures implemented on April 28 led to a significant improvement in onset-to-diagnosis time of all SARS patients, regardless of previous quarantine status. We discuss the temporal effects of quarantine measures and other interventions on detection and isolation as well as the potential usefulness of quarantine in faster identification of persons with SARS and in improving isolation measures. PMID:15752447

  20. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1, Thailand, 2004

    PubMed Central

    Chaitaweesub, Prasit; Songserm, Thaweesak; Chaisingh, Arunee; Hoonsuwan, Wirongrong; Buranathai, Chantanee; Parakamawongsa, Tippawon; Premashthira, Sith; Amonsin, Alongkorn; Gilbert, Marius; Nielen, Mirjam; Stegeman, Arjan

    2005-01-01

    In January 2004, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus of the H5N1 subtype was first confirmed in poultry and humans in Thailand. Control measures, e.g., culling poultry flocks, restricting poultry movement, and improving hygiene, were implemented. Poultry populations in 1,417 villages in 60 of 76 provinces were affected in 2004. A total of 83% of infected flocks confirmed by laboratories were backyard chickens (56%) or ducks (27%). Outbreaks were concentrated in the Central, the southern part of the Northern, and Eastern Regions of Thailand, which are wetlands, water reservoirs, and dense poultry areas. More than 62 million birds were either killed by HPAI viruses or culled. H5N1 virus from poultry caused 17 human cases and 12 deaths in Thailand; a number of domestic cats, captive tigers, and leopards also died of the H5N1 virus. In 2005, the epidemic is ongoing in Thailand. PMID:16318716

  1. 75 FR 60814 - Carbon Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings From Brazil, China, Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-01

    ... conditions or business cycle for the Domestic Like Product that have occurred in the United States or in the... disclosure of business proprietary information (BPI) under an administrative protective order (APO) and APO... to this Notice of Institution: If you are a domestic producer, union/worker group, or trade/business...

  2. Environmental permitting in Thailand

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

    Byers, A.C.

    Thailand's 1992 enhancement and Conservation of Environmental Quality Act and regulations require any entry proposing to construct a thermal power plant with a capacity greater that 10 MW to perform various environmental studies and prepare an environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report in accordance with the guidelines issued by the office of Environmental Policy and Planning (OEPP). Approval of the EIA is a prerequisite to the issuance of most other construction permits. Applicable environmental standards and regulation are promulgated by the Pollution Control Department (PCD), a wholly separate agency for the OEPP. The PCD is a fairly new organization and, asmore » a result, their staff is still gaining understanding of the multiple environmental aspects of power generation. Accordingly, the PCD is still in process of drafting key regulations applicable to the power industry. This paper examines the current guidelines, practices, procedures and legal requirements regarding environmental licensing of a thermal power plant in Thailand. The requisite scope and content of the EIA report will be identified, as well as the current procedure for its official review and approval by the OEPP. The paper will address the challenges of working with local consultants and identify potential pitfalls in the report preparation process. Areas of particular interest in the EIA review will be identified based on recent examples of OEPP comments on previous SPP and IPP projects. Additionally, the development of applicable environmental standards by the PCD will be identified along with their plans for implementing these standards. The paper will also examine the relationship of the OEPP and PCD, and reflect upon trends for environmental regulation in Thailand in the near future.« less

  3. Taiwan's underwater cultural heritage documentation management

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tung, Y.-Y.

    2015-09-01

    Taiwan is an important trading and maritime channels for many countries since ancient time. Numerous relics lie underwater due to weather, wars, and other factors. In the year of 2006, Bureau of Cultural Heritage (BOCH) entrusted the Underwater Archaeological Team of Academia Sinica to execute the underwater archaeological investigation projects. Currently, we verified 78 underwater targets, with 78 site of those had been recognized as shipwrecks sites. Up to date, there is a collection of 638 underwater objects from different underwater archaeological sites. Those artefacts are distributed to different institutions and museums. As very diverse management methods/systems are applied for every individual institution, underwater cultural heritage data such as survey, excavation report, research, etc. are poorly organized and disseminated for use. For better communication regarding to Taiwan's underwater cultural heritage in every level, a universal format of documentation should be established. By comparing the existing checklist used in Taiwan with guidelines that are followed in other countries, a more intact and appropriate underwater cultural heritage condition documentation system can be established and adapted in Taiwan.

  4. Sulfur dioxide emissions and sectorial contributions to sulfur deposition in Asia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arndt, Richard L.; Carmichael, Gregory R.; Streets, David G.; Bhatti, Neeloo

    Anthropogenic and volcanic emissions of SO 2 in Asia for 1987-1988 are estimated on a 1° × 1° grid. Anthropogenic sources are estimated to be 31.6 Tg of SO 2 with the regions' volcanoes emitting an additional 3.8 Tg. For Southeast Asia and the Indian sub-continent, the emissions are further partitioned into biomass, industrial, utilities, and non-specific sources. In these regions emissions from biomass, utilities and industrial sources account for 16.7, 21.7, and 12.2%, respectively. In Bangladesh, ˜ 90% of the SO 2 emissions result from biomass burning and nearly 20% of India's 5 Tg of SO 2 emissions are due to biomass burning. Malaysia and Singapore's emissions are dominated by the utilities with 42 and 62% of their respective emissions coming from that sector. The spatial distribution of sulfur deposition resulting from these emissions is calculated using an atmospheric transport and deposition model. Sulfur deposition in excess of 2 g m -2 yr -1 is predicted in vast regions of east Asia, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Indonesia with deposition in excess of 5 g m -2 yr -1 predicted in southern China. For the Indian sub-continent and Southeast Asia the contribution of biomass burning, industrial activities, and utilities to total sulfur emissions and deposition patterns are evaluated. Biomass burning is found to be a major source of sulfur deposition throughout southeast Asia. Deposition in Bangladesh and northern India is dominated by this emissions sector. Deposition in Thailand, the Malay Peninsula and the island of Sumatra is heavily influenced by emissions from utilities. The ecological impact of the deposition, in 1988 and in the year 2020, is also estimated using critical loads data developed in the RAINS-ASIA projects. Much of eastern China, the Korean Peninsula, Japan, Thailand, and large regions of India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and sections of Vietnam are at risk due to deposition in excess of their

  5. 76 FR 70965 - Polyethylene Retail Carrier Bags From Thailand: Correction to the Amended Final Results of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-11-16

    ... Bags From Thailand: Correction to the Amended Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review... bags from Thailand for the period August 1, 2009, through July 31, 2010. The notice did not include the... bags from Thailand. See Polyethylene Retail Carrier Bags From Thailand: Amended Final Results of...

  6. Outbreaks of Tilapia Lake Virus Infection, Thailand, 2015–2016

    PubMed Central

    Janetanakit, Taveesak; Nonthabenjawan, Nutthawan; Tattiyapong, Puntanat; Sirikanchana, Kwanrawee; Amonsin, Alongkorn

    2017-01-01

    During 2015–2016, several outbreaks of tilapia lake virus infection occurred among tilapia in Thailand. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the virus from Thailand grouped with a tilapia virus (family Orthomyxoviridae) from Israel. This emerging virus is a threat to tilapia aquaculture in Asia and worldwide. PMID:28518020

  7. Seroprevalence of antibodies to dengue and chikungunya viruses in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Vongpunsawad, Sompong; Intharasongkroh, Duangnapa; Thongmee, Thanunrat; Poovorawan, Yong

    2017-01-01

    The abundance of Aedes mosquito species enabled widespread transmission of mosquito-borne chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and dengue virus (DENV) in Southeast Asia. Periodic seroprevalence surveys are therefore necessary to assess the viral burden in the population and the effectiveness of public health interventions. Since the current seroprevalence for CHIKV and DENV in Thailand are unknown, we evaluated evidence of past infection among Thais. Eight-hundred and thirty-five serum samples obtained from individuals living in central and southern Thailand were assessed for anti-CHIKV and anti-DENV IgG antibodies using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Overall, 26.8% (224/835) of individuals were seropositive for CHIKV, the majority of whom were also DENV-seropositive (91.1%, 204/224). Approximately half of all adults in their fifth decade of life had attained CHIKV seropositivity. Children under 15 years of age in southern Thailand were significantly more likely to be CHIKV-seropositive compared to those residing in central Thailand. In contrast, 79.2% (661/835) of Thais were DENV-seropositive, 30.9% (204/661) of whom also had antibodies to CHIKV. CHIKV/DENV dual seropositivity among Thais was 24.4% (204/835). The age-standardized seroprevalence for DENV was three times that of CHIKV (80.5% vs. 27.2%). Relatively high CHIKV seroprevalence among adults living in central Thailand revealed an under-recognized CHIKV burden in the region, while the low-to-moderate transmission intensity of DENV (seroprevalence <50% at 9 years) is expected to reduce the impact of DENV vaccination in Thailand. This most recent seroprevalence data provide serological baselines for two of the most common mosquito-borne viruses in this region.

  8. Are marketing campaigns in Taiwan by foreign tobacco companies targeting young smokers?

    PubMed Central

    Wen, C; Chen, T; Tsai, Y; Tsai, S; Chung, W; Cheng, T; Levy, D; Hsu, C; Peterson, R; Liu, W

    2005-01-01

    Objective: To assess the impact of promotions on cigarette sales in Taiwan after the cigarette market opened to foreign companies, and to assess whether young smokers were targeted by these companies. Methods: Trends in cigarette sales, advertising expenditure, brand preference, and cigarette consumption were examined for the period following the 1987 opening of the cigarette market. Tobacco industry internal documents from Legacy Tobacco Documents Library of the University of California, San Francisco, were searched for corporate strategies on promoting youth consumption in Taiwan. Results: Between 1995 and 2000, the inflation adjusted advertising expenditures by all foreign firms increased fourfold. Much of the expenditure was spent on brand stretching the Mild Seven (Japan) and Davidoff (Germany) brands in television advertising. By 2000, the market share of foreign cigarettes exceeded domestics by three to one among young smokers and the leading brand preferred by this segment shifted from the most popular domestic brand (Long Life) to a foreign brand (Mild Seven). Furthermore, there was a sudden increase of 16.4% in smoking rates among young adults (from 36.1% to 42.0%) during the first five years after the market opened. This was also accompanied by increased per capita cigarette consumption and decreased age of smoking initiation. Industry documents confirmed the use of strategies targeted at the young. In particular, establishing new point of sale (POS) retail stores or promotional activities at POS were found to be more effective than advertising in magazines. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that advertising increased with increased competition following the market opening, which, in turn, spurred cigarette sales and consumption. Foreign tobacco companies have deliberately targeted youth in Taiwan and succeeded in gaining three quarters of their cigarette purchases within a decade. Expanding youth consumption will incur excessive future health

  9. 75 FR 34699 - Polyethylene Retail Carrier Bags from Thailand: Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-18

    ... Bags from Thailand: Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review in Part AGENCY: Import... Thailand. The period of review is August 1, 2008, through July 31, 2009. The Department of Commerce is... polyethylene retail carrier bags from Thailand. See Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty...

  10. Planned sexual behaviour of young Australian visitors to Thailand.

    PubMed

    Mulhall, B P; Hu, M; Thompson, M; Lin, F; Lupton, D; Mills, D; Maund, M; Cass, R; Millar, D

    1993-04-19

    To research the knowledge of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases among young Australian tourists to Thailand, and their intended sexual behaviour. A cross-sectional survey by anonymous, self-administered questionnaire, of persons seeking pre-travel medical advice in private clinics in five Australian cities. 213 consecutive patients travelling to Thailand without a spouse or partner. Only 34% of the sample reported a definite intention not to have sex in Thailand. Regarding choice of potential partners: 24.5% more men than women said they would have sex with a Thai national; 13.7% of men said they would have sex with a "bar girl"; and 21.7% more women than men said they would choose a fellow Australian traveller. Eighty-two per cent of the sample reported that they would use condoms 100% of the time, and there was no significant difference between the number of men and women who expressed this intention. Although not obviously "sex tourists", many young Australian travellers are likely to have sex while visiting Thailand. These data have important implications for education and prevention programs to control the spread of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted diseases.

  11. Nutrition transition, food retailing and health equity in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Kelly, Matthew; Banwell, Cathy; Dixon, Jane; Seubsman, Sam-Ang; Yiengprugsawan, Vasoontara; Sleigh, Adrian

    2010-12-01

    AIM: Here we examine the influence of changes in food retailing, the food supply and the associated nutrition transition on health equity in Thailand, a middle income country experiencing rapid economic development. METHODS: The dietary transition underway in Thailand is reviewed along with theories regarding convergence to a globalised energy dense obesogenic diet and subsequent socio-economically related dietary divergence along with the implications for health inequity. RESULTS: Thailand is part way through a dietary, nutrition and health transition. The food distribution and retailing system is now 50% controlled by modern supermarkets and convenience stores. The problem of increasing availability of calorie dense foods is especially threatening because a substantial proportion of the adult population is short statured due to child malnutrition. Obesity is an emerging problem and for educated Thai women has already developed an inverse relationship to socio-economic status as found in high income countries. CONCLUSIONS: Thailand has reached an important point in its nutrition transition. The challenge for the Thai government and population is to boost affordable healthy diets and to avoid the socio-economic inequity of nutritional outcomes observed in many rich countries.

  12. Nutrition transition, food retailing and health equity in Thailand

    PubMed Central

    Kelly, Matthew; Banwell, Cathy; Dixon, Jane; Seubsman, Sam-ang; Yiengprugsawan, Vasoontara; Sleigh, Adrian

    2012-01-01

    Aim Here we examine the influence of changes in food retailing, the food supply and the associated nutrition transition on health equity in Thailand, a middle income country experiencing rapid economic development. Methods The dietary transition underway in Thailand is reviewed along with theories regarding convergence to a globalised energy dense obesogenic diet and subsequent socio-economically related dietary divergence along with the implications for health inequity. Results Thailand is part way through a dietary, nutrition and health transition. The food distribution and retailing system is now 50% controlled by modern supermarkets and convenience stores. The problem of increasing availability of calorie dense foods is especially threatening because a substantial proportion of the adult population is short statured due to child malnutrition. Obesity is an emerging problem and for educated Thai women has already developed an inverse relationship to socio-economic status as found in high income countries. Conclusions Thailand has reached an important point in its nutrition transition. The challenge for the Thai government and population is to boost affordable healthy diets and to avoid the socio-economic inequity of nutritional outcomes observed in many rich countries. PMID:22442643

  13. Thailand--Secondary Education for Employment, Volume I: A Policy Note.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abelmann, Charles; Johanson, Richard; Kohtbantau, Achariya; Moock, Peter; Poshyananda, Tanaporn; Trivisvavet, Supamas

    In Thailand, the need for skills in the labor force will become even greater in the next decade as the country's industrial and service companies seek to increase productivity through technological and organizational change. Historically, the limited provision of secondary education was a major bottleneck in skills development in Thailand. Major…

  14. Species of Nepalomyia Hollis from Taiwan (Diptera: Dolichopodidae: Peloropeodinae).

    PubMed

    Wang, Mengoing; Chen, Hongyin; Yang, Ding

    2013-01-01

    An overview is presented for the species of the genus Nepalomyia Hollis, 1964 trom Taiwan. Nepalonyia xtaoyanae sp. nov. is described and N. brevifurcata (Yang & Saigusa, 2001) and N. orientalis (Yang & Li, 1998) are recorded from Taiwan for the first time. A key is provided for all seven named species of this genus from Taiwan.

  15. Real-Time Surveillance of Infectious Diseases: Taiwan's Experience.

    PubMed

    Jian, Shu-Wan; Chen, Chiu-Mei; Lee, Cheng-Yi; Liu, Ding-Ping

    Integration of multiple surveillance systems advances early warning and supports better decision making during infectious disease events. Taiwan has a comprehensive network of laboratory, epidemiologic, and early warning surveillance systems with nationwide representation. Hospitals and clinical laboratories have deployed automatic reporting mechanisms since 2014 and have effectively improved timeliness of infectious disease and laboratory data reporting. In June 2016, the capacity of real-time surveillance in Taiwan was externally assessed and was found to have a demonstrated and sustainable capability. We describe Taiwan's disease surveillance system and use surveillance efforts for influenza and Zika virus as examples of surveillance capability. Timely and integrated influenza information showed a higher level and extended pattern of influenza activity during the 2015-16 season, which ensured prompt information dissemination and the coordination of response operations. Taiwan also has well-developed disease detection systems and was the first country to report imported cases of Zika virus from Miami Beach and Singapore. This illustrates a high level of awareness and willingness among health workers to report emerging infectious diseases, and highlights the robust and sensitive nature of Taiwan's surveillance system. These 2 examples demonstrate the flexibility of the surveillance systems in Taiwan to adapt to emerging infectious diseases and major communicable diseases. Through participation in the GHSA, Taiwan can more actively collaborate with national counterparts and use its expertise to strengthen global and regional surveillance capacity in the Asia Pacific and in Southeast Asia, in order to advance a world safe and secure from infectious disease.

  16. Real-Time Surveillance of Infectious Diseases: Taiwan's Experience

    PubMed Central

    Jian, Shu-Wan; Chen, Chiu-Mei; Lee, Cheng-Yi

    2017-01-01

    Integration of multiple surveillance systems advances early warning and supports better decision making during infectious disease events. Taiwan has a comprehensive network of laboratory, epidemiologic, and early warning surveillance systems with nationwide representation. Hospitals and clinical laboratories have deployed automatic reporting mechanisms since 2014 and have effectively improved timeliness of infectious disease and laboratory data reporting. In June 2016, the capacity of real-time surveillance in Taiwan was externally assessed and was found to have a demonstrated and sustainable capability. We describe Taiwan's disease surveillance system and use surveillance efforts for influenza and Zika virus as examples of surveillance capability. Timely and integrated influenza information showed a higher level and extended pattern of influenza activity during the 2015-16 season, which ensured prompt information dissemination and the coordination of response operations. Taiwan also has well-developed disease detection systems and was the first country to report imported cases of Zika virus from Miami Beach and Singapore. This illustrates a high level of awareness and willingness among health workers to report emerging infectious diseases, and highlights the robust and sensitive nature of Taiwan's surveillance system. These 2 examples demonstrate the flexibility of the surveillance systems in Taiwan to adapt to emerging infectious diseases and major communicable diseases. Through participation in the GHSA, Taiwan can more actively collaborate with national counterparts and use its expertise to strengthen global and regional surveillance capacity in the Asia Pacific and in Southeast Asia, in order to advance a world safe and secure from infectious disease. PMID:28418738

  17. Diabetes in Thailand: Status and Policy.

    PubMed

    Reutrakul, Sirimon; Deerochanawong, Chaicharn

    2016-03-01

    Like other countries in the Western Pacific region, Thailand is facing increasing numbers of patients with diabetes due to unhealthy diets, high obesity rates, and an aging society. Diabetes is a considerable burden for developing countries as it reduces quality of life, increases mortality, and drives up healthcare costs. The disease detection rate in Thailand has improved in recent years, but glycemic control remains suboptimal and significant numbers of patients suffer from complications. Universal healthcare coverage has increased access to care, but inequality exists between different health plans and non-medication diabetes supplies are not yet widely covered. Diabetes self-management education has not yet been standardized and a multidisciplinary team approach is not widely utilized. The Thai government recognizes the burden of diabetes and has launched nationwide programs of health promotion and disease prevention. In addition, local initiatives have targeted reductions in specific complications, including retinopathy and diabetic foot problems, which has resulted in better disease prevention and treatment. Along with strategic public health planning, increased collaboration between private and public sectors, enhanced professional training, increased use of technology and data management, and equitable distribution of care are all needed to improve outcomes of patients with diabetes in Thailand.

  18. [Glocalization: the outlook for Taiwan evidence based health care].

    PubMed

    Chen, Chiehfeng

    2014-12-01

    Public attention to evidence-based health care (EBHC) has increased significantly in recent years. Key problems related to applying EBHC in current healthcare practice include the timely update of up-to-date knowledge and skills and the methodology used to implement EBHC in clinical settings. EBHC has been introduced to the Taiwan healthcare system for the past two decades. The annual EBM (Evidence based medicine) National Competition is a unique and important EBHC activity in Taiwan. EBHC has been promoted widely in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public health and other professions, and EBHC-related organizations such as the Taiwan Evidence Based Medicine Association (TEBMA), and Taiwan Evidence Based Nursing Association (TEBNA), have increased in number and grown in membership. In addition to domestic developments, Taiwan is also actively involved in global organizations, such as the Cochrane Collaboration, East Asian Cochrane Alliance (EACA), and the International Society for Evidence Based Health Care (ISEHC). In Taiwan, most medical professionals work cooperatively to promote EBHC, which facilitates the gradual improvement of healthcare quality.

  19. Commencement of Geoparks, Geology day and International Earth Science Olympiad, IYPE in Japan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tsukuda, Eikichi; Kodama, Kisaburo; Miyazaki, Teruki

    2010-05-01

    commemorates the first publication of the geological map of Japan on 10th of May in 1878. A total of fifty-nine geology-related organizations including natural museums and academic societies have joined the eighty nine events for Geology Day all over Japan in 2009. After the great success of 1st Iinternational Earth Science Olympiad(IESO) in Korea (2007), 2nd Philippines (2008) and 3rd Taiwan (2009), 6th IESO was decided to be held in Japan (2012). We also expect great success of 4th IESO in Indonesia and 5th IESO in Italy. Earth science communities in Japan including Societies, Universities, and Research Institutes take present-day environmental crisis seriously and throw strong messages to young people for saving the earth. Under such circumstances, IESO provides wonderful chances to think of the earth, to make friendships among worldwide participants and to understand each other. We, earth science communities in Japan, promise strongly to support 6th IESO in Tsukuba, Japan (2012) and then to organize this event efficiently. Through the triennial activity of IYPE we all learned the importance of international cooperation and public outreach.

  20. Migration of women to cities: the Asian situation in comparative perspective.

    PubMed

    Khoo, S E; Smith, P C; Fawcett, J T

    1984-01-01

    Contrary to the popular notion that women migrate only as part of families, and therefore, the causes and consequences of their migration are those of their spouses' or families,' studies of migration in some Asian countries have reported indications of increasing numbers of young women joining the migrant flow to the cities. Many of the women go on their own to find employment in the service, manufacturing and informal sectors, as factory and assembly line workers, as in Southeast Asia. The Philippines has the highest level of female participation in rural-urban migration. However, there is no consistent selectivity of 1 sex over the other in the migration process within subregions, except perhaps in the South Asian countries such as India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka which show male selectivity in migration to the cities. In East Asia, women also form a majority among migrants to the cities in South Korea. Japan appears to have male dominant migrant streams, while the pattern in Taiwan and Malaysia seem to be in transition toward increasing female migration. Female migration appears to be associated with: 1) female participation in agriculture; 2) availability of job opportunities for women in the cities; and 3) sociocultural restrictions on the mobility of women. In keeping with this typology by Boserup (1970), the present study finds a positive correlation between employment opportunities for women in the cities and female migration, as in the case of Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and Taiwan. In Thailand and the Philippines, women face a flexible attitude toward their roles and few cultural restrictions on their movement, whereas, in Taiwan and Malaysia, benefits of development and monetary attractions have weakened previously strong traditional forces. Alternatively, where cultural and religious constraints on freedom of movement continue to exist for women, along with few economic opportunities, as in the South Asian countries, a relatively low level of

  1. IN THAILAND.

    PubMed

    Luksamijarulkul, Pipat; Suknongbung, Siranee; Vatanasomboon, Pisit; Sujirarut, Dusit

    2017-03-01

    A large number of migrants have move to cities in Thailand seeking employment. These people may be at increased risk for environmental health problems. We studied the health status, environmental living conditions and microbial indoor air quality (IAQ) among selected groups of migrant workers and their households in Mueang District, Samut Sakhon, central Thailand. We conducted a cross sectional study of 240 migrant workers and their households randomly selected by multistage sampling. The person responsible for hygiene at each studied household was interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Two indoor air samples were taken from each household (480 indoor air samples) to determine bacterial and fungal counts using a Millipore air tester; 240 outdoor air samples were collected for comparison. Ninety-nine point six percent of study subjects were Myanmar, 74.2% were aged 21-40 years, 91.7% had a primary school level education or lower and 53.7% had stayed in Thailand less than 5 years. Eight point three percent had a history of an underlying disease, 20.8% had a recent history of pulmonary tuberculosis in a family member within the previous year. Forty-three point eight percent had a current illness related to IAQ during a previous month. Twenty-one point three were current cigarette smokers, 15.0% were current alcohol consumers, and 5.0% exercises ≥3 times per week. Forty-nine point two percent never opened the windows of their bedrooms or living rooms for ventilation, 45% never cleaned their window screens, and 38.3% never put their pillows or mattresses in the sunlight. The mean(±SD) air bacterial count was 230(±229) CFU/m3 (outdoor air = 128±82 CFU/ m3), and the mean fungal count was 630(±842) CFU/m3 (outdoor air = 138±94 CFU/ m3). When the bacterial and fungal counts were compared with the guidelines of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, the bacterial counts in 6.5% of houses surveyed and the fungal counts in 28.8% of house

  2. 76 FR 13660 - Polyvinyl Alcohol From Taiwan

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-03-14

    ... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [Investigation No. 731-TA-1088 (Final)] Polyvinyl Alcohol From Taiwan Determination On the basis of the record \\1\\ developed in the subject investigation, the United... (March 2011), entitled Polyvinyl Alcohol from Taiwan: Investigation No. 731-TA-1088 (Final). By order of...

  3. Epidemiology and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Chonprasertsuk, Soonthorn; Vilaichone, Ratha-Korn

    2017-04-01

    Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent type of malignant liver tumor in Thailand. The high incidence rate of HCC reflects from chronic HBV infection in this endemic area. Some patients are asymptomatic at presentation whereas many of them presented at advanced stage of HCC with limited treatment options and grave outcome. The Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system and management allocation for HCC is widely accepted and used in many international guidelines including Thailand. Curative treatment is expected in early stage of HCC while palliative treatment, combination treatment and best supportive care are offered to advanced stage of HCC. The most effective strategy to prevent the development of HCC is prevention of HBV vertical transmission and treatment HBV or HCV infection. The purpose of this article is to update information of HCC in Thailand including epidemiology, diagnosis, clinical manifestation, and treatment. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  4. Feminine transformations: gender reassignment surgical tourism in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Aizura, Aren Z

    2010-10-01

    Every year, hundreds of transgendered people from the United States, Europe, Asia, Canada, and Australia travel to Thailand to undergo cosmetic and gender reassignment surgeries (GRS). Many GRS clinics market themselves almost exclusively to non-Thai trans women (people assigned a male sex at birth who later identify as female). This article draws on ethnographic research with patients visiting Thailand for GRS to explore how trans women patients related their experience of medical care in Thailand to Thai cultural traditions, in particular "traditional" Thai femininity and Theravada Buddhist rituals and beliefs. Foreign patients in Thai hospital settings engage not only with medical practices but also with their perceptions of Thai cultural traditions--which inflect their feminine identifications. I draw on two patients' accounts of creating personal rituals to mark their gender reassignment surgery, placing these accounts within the context of biomedical globalization and debates about the touristic appropriation of non-"Western" cultural practices.

  5. Taiwan Space Programs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Jann-Yenq

    Taiwan space programs consist of FORMOSAT-1, -2, and -3, sounding rockets, and international cooperation. FORMOSAT-1, a low-earth-orbit (LEO) scientific experimental satellite, was launched on January 26, 1999. It circulates with an altitude of 600 km and 35 degree inclination around the Earth every 97 minutes, transmitting collected data to Taiwan's receiving stations approximately six times a day. The major mission of FORMOSAT-1 includes three scientific experiments for measuring the effects of ionospheric plasma and electrodynamics, taking the ocean color image and conducting Ka-band communication experiment. The FORMOSAT- 1 mission was ended by June 15, 2004. FORMOSAT-2, launched on May 21, 2004 onto the Sun-synchronous orbit located at 891 km above ground. The main mission of FORMOSAT-2 is to conduct remote sensing imaging over Taiwan and on terrestrial and oceanic regions of the entire earth. The images captured by FORMOSAT-2 during daytime can be used for land distribution, natural resources research, environmental protection, disaster prevention and rescue work etc. When the satellite travels to the eclipsed zone, it observes natural phenomena of lighting in the upper atmosphere. FORMOSAT-3 is an international collaboration project between Taiwan and the US to develop advanced technology for the real-time monitoring of the global climate. This project is also named Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate, or FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC for short. Six micro-satellites were launched on 15 April 2007 and eventually placed into six different orbits at 700 800 kilometer above the earth ground. These satellites orbit around the earth to form a LEO constellation that receives signals transmitted by the 24 US GPS satellites. The satellite observation covers the entire global atmosphere and ionosphere, providing over 2,500 global sounding data per day. These data distribute uniformly over the earth's atmosphere. The global climate information

  6. [The medical autonomy of elderly in Taiwan].

    PubMed

    Chen, Kai-Li; Chen, Ching-Huey

    2014-10-01

    The elderly population is increasing rapidly in Taiwan. With the average life expectancy on the rise, the elderly have become major consumers of healthcare products and services. Factors that influence respect for autonomy, a core value of medical ethics, may be related to family, society, and the medical culture. Especially in patients who are already elderly, aging causes declines in physical, mental and societal capacities. Practicing a respect for patient autonomy is particularly challenging for healthcare professionals in Taiwan due the unique culture background of elderly Taiwanese patients. This article reviews and integrates the literature related to the issue of patient autonomy and elaborates on medical decision-making among elderly patients in Taiwan in the contexts of: the disadvantages faced by the elderly, the background of Chinese culture, and the current medical decision-making environment. A few suggestions are proposed to help preserve the medical-decision-making autonomy of elderly patients in Taiwan.

  7. An analysis of legal warnings after drug approval in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Sriphiromya, Pakawadee; Theeraroungchaisri, Anuchai

    2015-02-01

    Drug risk management has many tools for minimizing risk and black-boxed warnings (BBWs) are one of those tools. Some serious adverse drug reactions (ADRs) emerge only after a drug is marketed and used in a larger population. In Thailand, additional legal warnings after drug approval, in the form of black-boxed warnings, may be applied. Review of their characteristics can assist in the development of effective risk mitigation. This study was a cross sectional review of all legal warnings imposed in Thailand after drug approval (2003-2012). Any boxed warnings for biological products and revised warnings which were not related to safety were excluded. Nine legal warnings were evaluated. Seven related to drugs classes and two to individual drugs. The warnings involved four main types of predictable ADRs: drug-disease interactions, side effects, overdose and drug-drug interactions. The average time from first ADRs reported to legal warnings implementation was 12 years. The triggers were from both safety signals in Thailand and regulatory measures in other countries outside Thailand. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Maternity Leave in Taiwan

    PubMed Central

    Feng, Joyce Yen; Han, Wen-Jui

    2011-01-01

    Using the first nationally representative birth cohort study in Taiwan, this paper examines the role that maternity leave policy in Taiwan plays in the timing of mothers returning to work after giving birth, as well as the extent to which this timing is linked to the amount of time mothers spend with their children and their use of breast milk versus formula. We found that the time when mothers returned to work coincided with the duration of guaranteed leave. In particular, mothers with a labor pension plan resumed work significantly earlier than mothers with no pension plan, and mothers with no pension plan returned to work significantly later than those with pension plans. The short leave of absence guaranteed under existing policies translated into mothers spending less time with their children and being more likely to exclusively use formula by 6 months after birth. In contrast, mothers who resumed work later than 6 months after birth were more likely to have not worked before birth or to have quit their jobs during pregnancy. Implications and recommendations for parental leave policy in Taiwan are discussed. PMID:21603074

  9. Maternity Leave in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Feng, Joyce Yen; Han, Wen-Jui

    2010-07-01

    Using the first nationally representative birth cohort study in Taiwan, this paper examines the role that maternity leave policy in Taiwan plays in the timing of mothers returning to work after giving birth, as well as the extent to which this timing is linked to the amount of time mothers spend with their children and their use of breast milk versus formula. We found that the time when mothers returned to work coincided with the duration of guaranteed leave. In particular, mothers with a labor pension plan resumed work significantly earlier than mothers with no pension plan, and mothers with no pension plan returned to work significantly later than those with pension plans. The short leave of absence guaranteed under existing policies translated into mothers spending less time with their children and being more likely to exclusively use formula by 6 months after birth. In contrast, mothers who resumed work later than 6 months after birth were more likely to have not worked before birth or to have quit their jobs during pregnancy. Implications and recommendations for parental leave policy in Taiwan are discussed.

  10. Taiwan-U.S. Relations: Developments and Policy Implications

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-05-01

    ally, China’s situation changed dramatically after the civil war victory of Mao Tse-tung in 1949. The reigning Chinese government, led by Chiang Kai ...Congressional Research Service 5 Changing Political Dynamics in Taiwan Until the mid-1980s, Taiwan had a one-party system in which Chiang Kai -shek’s...Taipei Times, January 23, 2009, p. 1. 21 Xie Yu , “Taiwan put under WHO health rules,” China Daily, February 12, 2009. 22 Chen, Jian, “WHA arrangements

  11. Listeriosis: Is It a Rare Disease in Thailand?

    PubMed

    Lawtongkum, Weerasak; Thisyakorn, Usa

    2016-02-01

    The prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes infection has been characterized as rare in Thailand. Within one month, 3 cases of listeriosis were seen at Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket, Thailand. Two cases were neonates with septicemia, of which one made an uneventful recovery and the other expired. The third case was an eleven-year-old boy with meningitis who also succumbed to his illness. All isolated L. monocytogenes were sensitive to ampicillin. An outbreak investigation revealed no L. monocytogenes contamination in tested food sources in Phuket.

  12. An analysis on DNA fingerprints of thirty papaya cultivars (Carica papaya L.), grown in Thailand with the use of amplified fragment length polymorphisms technique.

    PubMed

    Ratchadaporn, Janthasri; Sureeporn, Katengam; Khumcha, U

    2007-09-15

    The experiment was carried out at the Department of Horticulture, Ubon Ratchathani University, Ubon Ratchathani province, Northeast Thailand during June 2002 to May 2003 aims to identify DNA fingerprints of thirty papaya cultivars with the use of Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms (AFLP) technique. Papaya cultivars were collected from six different research centers in Thailand. Papaya plants of each cultivar were grown under field conditions up to four months then leaf numbers 2 and 3 of each cultivar (counted from top) were chosen for DNA extraction and the samples were used for AFLP analysis. Out of 64 random primers being used, 55 pairs gave an increase in DNA bands but only 12 pairs of random primers were randomly chosen for the final analysis of the experiment. The results showed that AFLP markers gave Polymorphic Information Contents (PIC) of three ranges i.e., AFLP markers of 235 lied on a PIC range of 0.003-0.05, 47 for a PIC range of 0.15-0.20 and 12 for a PIC range of 0.35-0.40. The results on dendrogram cluster analysis revealed that the thirty papaya cultivars were classified into six groups i.e., (1) Kaeg Dum and Malador (2) Kaeg Nuan (3) Pakchong and Solo (4) Taiwan (5) Co Coa Hai Nan and (6) Sitong. Nevertheless, in spite of the six papaya groups all papaya cultivars were genetically related to each other where diversity among the cultivars was not significantly found.

  13. Levels of trace elements, methylmercury and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in foraging green turtles in the South China region and their conservation implications.

    PubMed

    Ng, Connie Ka Yan; Lam, James Chung Wah; Zhang, Xiao Hua; Gu, He Xiang; Li, Tsung Hsien; Ye, Min Bin; Xia, Zhong Rong; Zhang, Fei Yan; Duan, Jin Xia; Wang, Wen Xiong; Lam, Isaac Kam Sum; Balazs, George H; Lam, Paul K S; Murphy, Margaret B

    2018-03-01

    Sea turtles are globally endangered and face daily anthropogenic threats, including pollution. However, there is a lack of ecotoxicological information on sea turtles, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. This study aims to determine pollutant levels of foraging green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in South China, including Hong Kong, Guangdong and Taiwan, as a basis for their conservation. Scute, liver and muscle tissues of stranded green turtles were analysed for levels of 17 trace elements and methylmercury (MeHg) (n = 86 for scute and n = 14 for liver) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) (n = 11 for muscle and n = 13 for liver). Ten-fold higher levels of Pb, Ba, V and Tl and 40-fold greater Cd levels were measured in green turtle livers in South China relative to other studies conducted over 10 years ago. Measured PBDE levels were also 27-fold and 50-fold greater than those reported in Australia and Japan. These results warrant further investigation of potential toxicological risks to green turtles in South China and their source rookeries in Malaysia, Micronesia, Indonesia, Marshall Islands, Japan and Taiwan. Research should target monitoring pollutant levels in sea turtles within the West Pacific/Southeast Asia regional management unit spanning East Asia to Southeast Asia to fill in knowledge gaps, in particular in areas such as Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines where less or no data is available and where foraging grounds of sea turtles have been identified. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Regulatory control of low level radioactive waste in Taiwan

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

    Liu, T.D.S.; Chiou, Syh-Tsong

    1996-12-31

    The commercial operation of Chinshan Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) Unit One marked the beginning of Taiwan`s nuclear power program. There are now three NPPs, each consisting of two units, in operation. This represents a generating capacity of 5,144 MWe. Nuclear power plants are sharing some 30 percent of electricity supplies in Taiwan. As far as low level radwaste (LLRW) is concerned, Taiwan Power Company (TPC) is the principal producer, contributing more than 90 percent of total volume of waste arising in Taiwan. Small producers, other than nuclear industries, medicine, research institutes, and universities, are responsible for the remaining 10 percent.more » In the paper, the LLRW management policy, organizational scheme, regulatory control over waste treatment, storage, transportation and disposal are addressed. Added to the paper in the last is how this country is managing its Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) waste.« less

  15. Country Demographic Profiles: Thailand.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bureau of the Census (DOC), Suitland, MD. Population Div.

    This profile of the population of Thailand contains 35 tables of selected demographic information, including size of population and estimates of fertility and mortality, beginning in 1950. An adjusted distribution of the population by age and sex is given for the latest census year, as well as for 1976. Projections of the number of women of…

  16. Subsurface imaging, TAIGER experiments and tectonic models of Taiwan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Francis T.; Kuo-Chen, H.; McIntosh, K. D.

    2014-08-01

    The seismicity, deformation rates and associated erosion in the Taiwan region clearly demonstrate that plate tectonic and orogenic activities are at a high level. Major geologic units can be neatly placed in the plate tectonic context, albeit critical mapping in specific areas is still needed, but the key processes involved in the building of the island remain under discussion. Of the two plates in the vicinity of Taiwan, the Philippine Sea Plate (PSP) is oceanic in its origin while the Eurasian Plate (EUP) is comprised partly of the Asian continental lithosphere and partly of the transitional lithosphere of the South China Sea basin. It is unanimously agreed that the collision of PSP and EU is the cause of the Taiwan orogeny, but several models of the underlying geological processes have been proposed, each with its own evolutionary history and implied subsurface tectonics. TAIGER (TAiwan Integrated GEodynamics Research) crustal- and mantle-imaging experiments recently made possible a new round of testing and elucidation. The new seismic tomography resolved structures under and offshore of Taiwan to a depth of about 200 km. In the upper mantle, the steeply east-dipping high velocity anomalies from southern to central Taiwan are clear, but only the extreme southern part is associated with seismicity; toward the north the seismicity disappears. The crustal root under the Central Range is strongly asymmetrical; using 7.5 km/s as a guide, the steep west-dipping face on the east stands in sharp contrast to a gradual east-dipping face on the west. A smaller root exists under the Coastal Range or slightly to the east of it. Between these two roots lies a well delineated high velocity rise spanning the length from Hualien to Taitung. The 3-D variations in crustal and mantle structures parallel to the trend of the island are closely correlated with the plate tectonic framework of Taiwan. The crust is thickest in the central Taiwan collision zone, and although it thins

  17. A Survey of Pharmacy Education in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Chanakit, Teeraporn; Low, Bee Yean; Wongpoowarak, Payom; Moolasarn, Summana; Anderson, Claire

    2014-11-15

    To explore the current status of pharmacy education in Thailand. The International Pharmaceutical Federation of the World Health Organization's (FIP-WHO) Global Survey of Pharmacy Schools was used for this study. The survey instrument was distributed to the deans of the 19 faculties (colleges) of pharmacy in Thailand. More than half the colleges have been in existence less than 20 years, and the government owns 80% of them. There were 2 paths of admission to study pharmacy: direct admission and central admission system. The doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) programs can be divided into 4 types. Approximately 60% of all teaching staff holds a doctoral degree. Regarding the work balance among teaching staff, around 60% focus on teaching activities, 20% focus on research, and less than 20% focus on patient care services concurrent with real practice teaching. The proportion of student time dedicated to theory, practice, and research in PharmD programs is 51.5%, 46.7%, and 1.8%, respectively. Sites owned by the colleges or by others were used for student training. Colleges followed the Office of the National Education Standards' Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) and External Quality Assurance (EQA), and the Pharmacy Council's Quality Assessment (ONESQA). This study provides a picture of the current status of curriculum, teaching staff, and students in pharmacy education in Thailand. The curriculum was adapted from the US PharmD program with the aim of meeting the country's needs and includes industrial pharmacy and public health tracks as well as clinical tracks. However, this transition in pharmacy education in Thailand needs to be monitored and evaluated.

  18. 78 FR 764 - Frozen Warmwater Shrimp From China, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-01-04

    ... Shrimp From China, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam; Institution of..., Thailand, and Vietnam of frozen warmwater shrimp, provided for in subheadings 0306.17.00, 1605.21.10 and... the Governments of China, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Unless the...

  19. 76 FR 59999 - Polyethylene Retail Carrier Bags From Thailand: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-09-28

    ... Bags From Thailand: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review AGENCY: Import... antidumping duty order on polyethylene retail carrier bags from Thailand. We gave interested parties an... Bags From Thailand: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 76 FR 30102 (May 24...

  20. Stressful life events preceding the onset of depression in Asian patients with major depressive disorder.

    PubMed

    Park, Subin; Hatim, Ahmad; Si, Tian-Mei; Jeon, Hong Jin; Srisurapanont, Manit; Bautista, Dianne; Liu, Shen-ing; Chua, Hong Choon; Hong, Jin Pyo

    2015-12-01

    Previous studies have identified the significant role of stressful life events in the onset of depressive episodes. However, there is a paucity of cross-national studies on stressful life events that precede depression. We aimed to compare types of stressful life events associated with the onset of depressive episodes in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) in five Asian countries. A total of 507 outpatients with MDD were recruited in China (n = 114), South Korea (n = 101), Malaysia (n = 90), Thailand (n = 103) and Taiwan (n = 99). All patients were assessed with the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview and the List of Threatening Experiences. The prevalence of each type of stressful life events was calculated and compared between each country. The type of stressful life event that preceded the onset of a depressive episode differed between patients in China and Taiwan and those in South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand. Patients in China and Taiwan were less likely to report interpersonal relationship problems and occupational/financial problems than patients in South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand. Understanding the nature and basis of culturally determined susceptibilities to specific stressful life events is critical for establishing a policy of depression prevention and providing effective counseling services for depressed patients. © The Author(s) 2015.

  1. Costs of injuries due to interpersonal and self-directed violence in Thailand, 2005.

    PubMed

    Bundhamcharoen, Kanitta; Odton, Patarapan; Mugem, Suwanna; Phulkerd, Sirinya; Dhisayathikom, Kanjana; Brown, David W; Tangcharoensathien, Viroj

    2008-06-01

    Violence, a serious public health problem in Thailand, remains largely unknown for its economic costs. This study is a national-level economic cost-estimates of injury from interpersonal and self-directed violence for Thailand during 2005 using the World Health Organization-US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines. Direct medical costs from self-directed violence totaled 569 million Baht (THB) while the cost of interpersonal violence was THB 1.3 billion. Productivity losses for injuries due to self-directed violence were estimated at THB 12.2 billion and those for interpersonal violence were THB 14.4 billion. The total direct medical cost, thus, accounted for about 4% of Thailand's total health budget while the productivity losses accounted for approximately 0.4% of Thailand s GDP In summary, interpersonal and self-directed violence caused a total loss of 33.8 billion baht for Thailand in 2005. More than 90% of the economic loss was incurred from productivity loss and about four-fifths came from men.

  2. Illicit cigarette trade in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Pavananunt, Pirudee

    2011-11-01

    The sale and consumption of illicit tobacco increases consumption, impacts public health, reduces tax revenue and provides an argument against tax increases. Thailand has some of the best tobacco control policies in Southeast Asia with one of the highest tobacco tax rates, but illicit trade has the potential to undermine these policies and needs investigating. Two approaches were used to assess illicit trade between 1991 and 2006: method 1, comparison of tobacco used based on tobacco taxes paid and survey data, and method 2, discrepancies between export data from countries exporting tobacco to Thailand and Thai official data regarding imports. A three year average was used to smooth differences due to lags between exports and imports. For 1991-2006, the estimated manufactured cigarette consumption from survey data was considerably lower than sales tax paid, so method 1 did not provide evidence of cigarette tax avoidance. Using method 2 the trade difference between reported imports and exports, indicates 10% of cigarettes consumed in Thailand (242 million packs per year) between 2004 and 2006 were illicit. The loss of revenue amounted to 4,508 million Baht (2002 prices) in the same year, that was 14% of the total cigarette tax revenue. Cigarette excise tax rates had a negative relationship with consumption trends but no relation with the level of illicit trade. There is a need for improved policies against smuggling to combat the rise in illicit tobacco consumption. Regional coordination and implementation of protocols on illicit trade would help reduce incentives for illegal tax avoidance.

  3. ILLICIT CIGARETTE TRADE IN THAILAND

    PubMed Central

    Pavananunt, Pirudee

    2012-01-01

    The sale and consumption of illicit tobacco increases consumption, impacts public health, reduces tax revenue and provides an argument against tax increases. Thailand has some of the best tobacco control policies in Southeast Asia with one of the highest tobacco tax rates, but illicit trade has the potential to undermine these policies and needs investigating. Two approaches were used to assess illicit trade between 1991 and 2006: method 1, comparison of tobacco used based on tobacco taxes paid and survey data, and method 2, discrepancies between export data from countries exporting tobacco to Thailand and Thai official data regarding imports. A three year average was used to smooth differences due to lags between exports and imports. For 1991–2006, the estimated manufactured cigarette consumption from survey data was considerably lower than sales tax paid, so method 1 did not provide evidence of cigarette tax avoidance. Using method 2 the trade difference between reported imports and exports, indicates 10% of cigarettes consumed in Thailand (242 million packs per year) between 2004 and 2006 were illicit. The loss of revenue amounted to 4,508 million Baht (2002 prices) in the same year, that was 14% of the total cigarette tax revenue. Cigarette excise tax rates had a negative relationship with consumption trends but no relation with the level of illicit trade. There is a need for improved policies against smuggling to combat the rise in illicit tobacco consumption. Regional coordination and implementation of protocols on illicit trade would help reduce incentives for illegal tax avoidance. PMID:22299425

  4. What University Governance Can Taiwan Learn from the United States?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Lung-Sheng; Land, Ming H.

    2010-01-01

    Due to changes from centralization to marketization, Taiwan's university governance must increase its effectiveness. The purpose of this paper was to introduce trends in and issues of Taiwan's university governance, describe university governance in the United States, and draw implications that Taiwan's university governance needs to learn from…

  5. Scaling-Up Educational Reform in Thailand: Context, Collaboration, Networks, and Change

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kantamara, Pornkasem; Hallinger, Philip; Jatiket, Marut

    2006-01-01

    This article presents a case study of successful curricular and instructional innovation in Thailand. The innovation involved a curricular program, Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This student-centered curriculum models many of the features highlighted in Thailand's educational reform such as the student-centered learning approach, curriculum…

  6. 78 FR 11221 - Frozen Warmwater Shrimp From China, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-02-15

    ... Shrimp From China, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam Determination On the basis... injured by reason of imports from China, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam of... China, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.\\2\\ \\1\\ The record is defined in sec...

  7. Taeniasis, cysticercosis and echinococcosis in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Waikagul, Jitra; Dekumyoy, Paron; Anantaphruti, Malinee T

    2006-01-01

    Taeniasis is one of the major food-borne parasitic zoonoses in Thailand. During the years 1957-1997, the prevalence was low in most parts of the country. Recent (2000-2005) country prevalence was lower than 1%. A high prevalence (5.9%) was found among 1450 villagers from 30 villages in the North, and among 1233 stool samples from 19 provinces in the Northeast (2.8%). Taenia saginata was the dominant species. Cysticercosis in Thailand is somewhat under-reported/recorded. During the period 1965-2005, diagnosis was based on techniques other than serodiagnosis, giving a total of cysticercosis cases of less than 500. However, an immunoblot technique using delipidized cyst antigen showed 314 positive cases out of 754 samples tested in 2000-2005. Reports of neurocysticercosis appeared more often than cutaneous cysticercosis. A total of 24 cases of echinococcosis, mostly hydatid cysts (only 2 cases of alveolar cysts), were recorded during 1936-2005. These records included 3 cases of foreigners seeking surgery in hospitals in Bangkok. Most Thai patients were migrant workers from the Middle East, and only a few cases were indigenous. The prevalence of cysticercosis and echinococcosis is increasing resulting from sensitive modern diagnostic tests. Taeniasis will persist in Thailand as the consumption of raw/half-cooked meat dishes is still a normal practice for Thai people.

  8. Effects of daily energy expenditure on academic performance of elementary students in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Wang, Peng-Sheng; Huang, Yi-Ching; Wu, Shu-Fang Vivienne; Wang, Kuo-Ming

    2014-01-01

    The objective of the study was to investigate the potential effects of daily energy expenditure on the academic performance (AP) of elementary schoolchildren, the results of which will be used as the basis of planning physical activity (PA) for children in the future. Participants were collected from 4th to 6th grade children at an elementary school in southern Taiwan. The effective sample data size was 1065 (79.8%; 528 boys and 537 girls). Daily mean energy expenditure was obtained using the 3 Day Physical Activity Recall (3-DPAR), and the intensive activities degrees of physical activity were categorized into lowest PA, middle PA, and highest PA group, and academic performance assessed with weighted academic score. The significant effect on the academic performance of schoolchildren was only in energy expenditure but not for sexes and tutorials attended. All students in the middle PA group performed better academically than those in the highest PA group. After controlling sexes, male students in the middle PA group performed better than other groups; female students in the lowest PA group performed better than other groups. These results may be consulted by schools, academic faculties, and parents in setting up exercise plans for children. © 2012 The Authors. Japan Journal of Nursing Science © 2012 Japan Academy of Nursing Science.

  9. Food safety in Thailand 1: it is safe to eat watermelon and durian in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Wanwimolruk, Sompon; Kanchanamayoon, Onnicha; Boonpangrak, Somchai; Prachayasittikul, Virapong

    2015-05-01

    The wide use of pesticides raises serious concerns regarding food safety and environmental impacts. There is increasing public concern about the potential health risks linked with exposure to pesticides. Regulation of maximum residue limits (MRL) of pesticide residues in food commodities has been established in many developed countries. For developing countries, like Thailand, this regulation often exists in law, but is not completely enforced in practice. Thus, pesticide residue levels in vegetables and fruits have not been thoroughly monitored. The present study aimed to examine potential health risks associated with pesticide exposure by determining the pesticide residues in two commonly consumed fruits, watermelon and durian. The fruit samples were purchased from markets in central provinces of Thailand and assayed for the content of 28 pesticides. Analysis of pesticides was performed by multiresidue extraction and followed by GC-MS/MS detection. Of 28 pesticides investigated, 5 were detected in 90.7% of the watermelon samples (n = 75) and 3 in 90% of durian samples (n = 30). Carbofuran, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, dimethoate and metalaxyl were found in watermelons, whereas dichlorvos, dimethoate and metalaxyl were detected in durians. However, their levels were much lower than the recommended MRL values. These pesticide levels detected in the fruits are unlikely to harm the consumers; therefore it is safe to eat watermelon and durian in Thailand. While our results found negligible risk associated with pesticide exposure from consuming these common tropical fruits, special precautions should be considered to decrease total exposure to these harmful pesticides from various foods.

  10. 78 FR 42497 - Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp From Thailand: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-16

    ... Shrimp From Thailand: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, Partial Rescission of... frozen warmwater shrimp (shrimp) from Thailand. The period of review (POR) is February 1, 2011, through... Thailand produced and exported by Marine Gold Products Limited (MRG) and to rescind the review with respect...

  11. Genetic isolation among morphotypes in the photosymbiotic didemnid Didemnum molle (Ascidiacea, Tunicata) from the Ryukyus and Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Hirose, Mamiko; Nozawa, Yoko; Hirose, Euichi

    2010-12-01

    Didemnum molle, a colonial ascidian that harbors the symbiotic cyanophyte Prochloron spp., is distributed throughout the coral reefs of the Indo-West Pacific Ocean. Several morphotypes of D. molle are characterized by the color and size of their colonies. Previous molecular phylogeny inferred from gene sequences for the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) identified four morphotypes (i.e., gray, brown, white, and large) from several sites in the Ryukyu Islands, Japan. With the addition of 17 specimens, including another morphotype (small), from several collection sites (Taiwan and the Ryukyus), the present report demonstrates genetic separation among the five morphotypes based on COI sequences. A number of sexually mature specimens of the different morphotypes were collected at the same times and sites, indicating reproductive isolation among morphotypes.

  12. Broadcast spawning patterns of Favia species on the inshore reefs of Thailand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kongjandtre, N.; Ridgway, T.; Ward, S.; Hoegh-Guldberg, O.

    2010-03-01

    To obtain a global perspective of coral reproductive patterns, there is a clear need for more descriptive studies from under-represented regions (e.g., Thailand). As such, this study provides the first data on the timing of gamete maturation and spawning of seven species of Favia from Thailand. Corals in the inner and eastern Gulf of Thailand (GOT) spawned following the full moons of February/March, whereas spawning in the southwestern GOT and the Andaman Sea occurred 1 month later following the full moons of March/April. Aquarium observations of five Favia species confirmed spawning between five and six nights after the respective full moon, with the time of release of gametes overlapping among species. Further research on gametogenesis in additional coral species is required to document whether the spawning patterns exhibited by Favia are typical of all coral species in Thailand.

  13. The Study of Aeromagnetic Surveys in Taiwan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, P. T.; Tong, L. T.; Lin, W.; Chang, S. F.

    2016-12-01

    The airborne magnetic survey is a cost-effective method for regional geological investigation. Most of developed countries use aeromagnetic data as important fundamental information for resources development. The first aeromagnetic survey was conducted in the offshore areas of west and southern Taiwan in 1968 by U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office to help Taiwan finding oil. Later, in 2007, a helicopter-borne magnetic survey was proceed in east Taiwan for underground granite bodies. In order to improve better understanding of deep geological structures associated with the Holocene volcanism in Taiwan, we applied helicopter-borne magnetic technique in northern Taiwan include Tatun Volcano Group (TVG) and Kueishan island in 2013 and 2014 to obtain the distribution information of potential magma chamber as well as hydrothermal pathways along regional geological structures. The most important findings of the high-resolution aeromagnetic dataset since 1960's to 2014 acquired include: (1) the distribution of subsurface igneous rocks and the Curie point depth in Tatun Volcano Group, Keelung Volcano Group, and Kueishantao Volcano; (2) the widely distributed NE high-magnetic belts in northern Taiwan may be associated with NE fractures created by long-term subsidence in this area; (3) the high-magnetic belts in south of Lanyang River which is very different from the magnetic characteristics of the Central Range may imply paleo oceanic plate; (4) the NE high-magnetic belts in Penghu area formed by magma intrusion along NE fractures and the dense and high-magnetic anomalies may be associated with the Miocene basaltic lava overlying on the pre-Tertiary igneous dykes and are widely spread in northern Penghu area. The new aeromagnetic survey techniques help us to investigate the areas with steep terrain or covered by dense vegetation which was difficult to obtain reasonable geological understanding, and also provide an opportunity for us to apply the geothermal energy prospecting.

  14. Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) genetic typing in Kakeroma Island, an island at the crossroads of the ryukyuans and Wajin in Japan, providing further insights into the origin of the virus in Japan.

    PubMed

    Eguchi, Katsuyuki; Fujii, Hidefumi; Oshima, Kengo; Otani, Masashi; Matsuo, Toshiaki; Yamamoto, Taro

    2009-08-01

    Peripheral blood samples were collected from 23 human T-lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1) carriers residing in Kakeroma Island, Japan (Kagoshima Prefecture, Oshima County, Setouchi Town), one of the most highly endemic areas in Japan. The samples were subjected to amplification by PCR and sequencing of the Long Terminal Repeat in order to reconstruct a phylogenetic tree of HTLV-1 isolates. Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of env region was also conducted for subgrouping of HTLV-1. Although one sample could not be amplified by PCR, and three more could not be sequenced due to the existence of conspicuous nonspecific bands or repeated sequences, the phylogenetic analysis revealed that the remaining 19 isolates obtained from Kakeroma Island belonged to either the Transcontinental or the Japanese subgroups of the Cosmopolitan subtype, one of the three major subtypes. The RFLP data corresponded closely with the typing data throughout the sequencing. The proportion of the Transcontinental subgroup among the isolates was 26.3% (5 of 19) by sequence analysis and 27.3% (6 of 22) by RFLP. Unlike in Taiwan, China and Okinawa, the Japanese subgroup was dominant in Kakeroma Island. The analysis would also suggest that the Japanese subgroup seems not to have derived from the Transcontinental subgroup, but rather that the Transcontinental subgroup came to Japan first and was followed later by the Japanese one. 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  15. 75 FR 4529 - Circular Welded Carbon Steel Pipes and Tubes From Thailand: Final Results of Antidumping Duty New...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-01-28

    ... Pipes and Tubes From Thailand: Final Results of Antidumping Duty New Shipper Review AGENCY: Import... Thailand. See Circular Welded Carbon Steel Pipes and Tubes from Thailand: Preliminary Results of... review under the antidumping duty order covering pipes and tubes from Thailand. See Preliminary Results...

  16. After the forest. AIDs as ecological collapse in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Usher, A D

    1992-01-01

    Numerous parallels can be drawn between the systematic destruction of Thailand's forests and the emergence, in the same time period, of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) as an irreversible societal crisis. Both the disintegration of the body's defense system implicit in AIDS and the erosion of Thailand's ecosystem provoked by deforestation policies are examples of assaults by capitalist economic policies on previously self-regulating systems. Centralization and industrial development have driven a substantial proportion of young Thai villagers to the cities, where they sell their labor as sex workers (there may be as many as 2 million prostitutes in Thailand) or become heroin users. Conservative estimates project 1.6 million AIDS-infected Thais by the end of 1995. Just as generally benign conditions such as the common cold can annihilate a body ravaged by the AIDS virus, Thailand's ecosystem, degraded by unregulated logging and state-subsidized, for-profit rubber planting, is no longer able to absorb natural occurrences such as heavy rainfall. The loss of forestland--the traditional source of food, shelter, tools, and medicine and the repository of cultural icons--has forced villagers to obtain cash to meet their needs, and Thailand's sex industry offers one of the highest rates of remuneration. Legislation enacted in response to AIDS and deforestation shares an emphasis on the victims (e.g., the prostitutes and not their clients or the owners of sex establishments, and impoverished forest squatters rather than plantation companies and land speculators). A powerful, combative environmental movement is successfully resisting government attempts to destroy living communities. Needed as well is resistance on the part of women growing up in the age of AIDS to societal definitions that polarize females (virgins and prostitutes) and uphold one-sided monogamy.

  17. The control of foreigners as researchers in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Ditton, Mary J; Lehane, Leigh

    2009-09-01

    AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF ETHICAL CONDUCT of field research is for the researcher to have an appropriate relationship with the legitimate gatekeepers of the field site. This paper describes our experiences of obtaining approval from regulatory authorities in Thailand for field research on Burmese migrants, and discusses the nature and rationale of such government control in Asia and Western countries. It is intended to guide future humanitarian researchers who are planning to study oppressed groups at politically sensitive research sites where regulatory authorities monitor both research sites and research performance. Thailand, like several other Southeast Asian countries, operates a permit system for foreign researchers. This permit system is designed to promote research activities in Thailand so that the results can be used to further the country's development, and to enhance the cooperation and collaboration between Thai and foreign researchers providing opportunities for the exchange of knowledge, technical expertise, and experience. This control of foreign researchers is not prohibitive; foreign humanitarian researchers can organize research and advance the welfare of targeted oppressed populations in cooperation with government agencies.

  18. Educating Students with Learning Disabilities in Taiwan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hsiao, Yun-Ju

    2011-01-01

    In East Asia, Taiwan is one of only a few countries that has a clear definition of learning disabilities (LD) as well as operational criteria for the identification of LD. In Taiwan, special education services for students with LD are mandated in the Special Education Act of 1984. According to the official statistics from the Taiwanese Special…

  19. Educational Mismatches and Labor Market Outcomes: Evidence from Both Vertical and Horizontal Mismatches in Thailand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pholphirul, Piriya

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: Educational mismatches constitute negative impacts on labor markets in most countries, Thailand is no exception. The purpose of this paper is to quantify the degree of educational mismatch in Thailand and its impacts on labor market outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: This study analyzes data obtained from Thailand's Labor Force Survey…

  20. Analysis of health promotion and prevention financing mechanisms in Thailand

    PubMed Central

    Watabe, Akihito; Wongwatanakul, Weranuch; Thamarangsi, Thaksaphon; Prakongsai, Phusit; Yuasa, Motoyuki

    2017-01-01

    Summary In the transition to the post-2015 agenda, many countries are striving towards universal health coverage (UHC). Achieving this, governments need to shift from curative care to promotion and prevention services. This research analyses Thailand's financing system for health promotion and prevention, and assesses policy options for health financing reforms. The study employed a mixed-methods approach and integrates multiple sources of evidence, including scientific and grey literature, expenditure data, and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders in Thailand. The analysis was underpinned by the use of a well-known health financing framework. In Thailand, three agencies plus local governments share major funding roles for health promotion and prevention services: the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), the National Health Security Office, the Thai Health Promotion Foundation and Tambon Health Insurance Funds. The total expenditure on prevention and public health in 2010 was 10.8% of the total health expenditure, greater than many middle-income countries that average 7.0–9.2%. MOPH was the largest contributor at 32.9%, the Universal Coverage scheme was the second at 23.1%, followed by the local governments and ThaiHealth at 22.8 and 7.3%, respectively. Thailand's health financing system for promotion and prevention is strategic and innovative due to the three complementary mechanisms in operation. There are several methodological limitations to determine the adequate level of spending. The health financing reforms in Thailand could usefully inform policymakers on ways to increase spending on promotion and prevention. Further comparative policy research is needed to generate evidence to support efforts towards UHC. PMID:26989011

  1. The social context of the emergence of HIV in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Ford, N

    1990-01-01

    This paper reviews the developing pattern of HIV infection in Thailand with an introduction on basic principles of HIV transmission; a description of the emergence of HIV as a public health threat; a review of the social characteristics of HIV carriers in the context of the sexual culture in Thailand; and ends with a discussion of the dilemmas a developing country faces in dealing with HIV. Thailand is an example of a society where few people have many sex partners, a situation with a faster transmission of HIV than a case where most people have few partners. While Asia has lagged behind other regions in the spread of AIDS, in Thailand HIV has spread rapidly since 1988. Thailand has an illegal but tolerated commercial sex industry, with outlets very diverse in terms of STD control. This industry caters to tourists from other Asian countries, and is maintained by a strong male dominant culture, incomes averaging 25 times higher than other occupations pay, depression in outlying areas encouraging remittance of money back to families, and even status for sex workers in the marriage market. There is an entrenched subculture of intravenous drug injectors who also make up a nucleus of HIV carriers with high prevalence, 43% as of 1988. Some strategies open to the government to control spread of HIV include legalization and control of the sex industry, needle/syringe exchange and health care for drug injectors, social welfare for opium growers in the hills, and political solutions for the conflicts affecting drug traffic in Burma.

  2. Balancing the Direct and Indirect Approaches: Implications for Ending the Violence in Southern Thailand

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-12-01

    DIRECT AND INDIRECT APPROACHES: IMPLICATIONS FOR ENDING THE VIOLENCE IN SOUTHERN THAILAND by Chaiyo Rodthong December 2009 Thesis Advisor... Thailand 6. AUTHOR(S) Chaiyo Rodthong 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Naval Postgraduate School Monterey, CA...distribution is unlimited 12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE 13. ABSTRACT (maximum 200 words) The instability in the Southern Border Provinces of Thailand resurged on

  3. Asking Questions in First-Grade Mathematics Classes: Potential Influences on Mathematical Thought.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Perry, Michelle; And Others

    1993-01-01

    Types of questions asked in first-grade mathematics classes in Japan, Taiwan, and the United States were investigated. Observations of 311 lessons by 16 Japanese, 20 Taiwanese, and 33 U.S. teachers suggest that the kinds of questions asked in Taiwan and Japan contribute to more sophisticated mathematical knowledge. (SLD)

  4. Medical tourism in Thailand: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Noree, Thinakorn; Hanefeld, Johanna; Smith, Richard

    2016-01-01

    To investigate the magnitude and characteristics of medical tourism in Thailand and the impact of such tourism on the Thai health system and economy. In 2010, we checked the records of all visits to five private hospitals that are estimated to cover 63% of all foreign patients. We reviewed hospital records of foreign patients and obtained data on their countries of origin, diagnoses and interventions. We surveyed 293 medical tourists to collect demographic characteristics and information on their expenditure and travelling companions. To help understand the impact of medical tourism on the Thai health system, we also interviewed 15 hospital executives and 28 service providers from the private hospitals. We obtained 911,913 records of hospital visits, of which 324,906 came from 104,830 medical tourists. We estimated that there were 167,000 medical tourists in Thailand in 2010. Of the medical tourists who attended our study hospitals, 67,987 (64.8%) came from the eastern Mediterranean region or Asia and 109,509 (34%) of them were treated for simple and uncomplicated conditions - i.e. general check-ups and medical consultations. The mean self-reported non-medical expenditure was 2750 United States dollars. According to the hospital staff interviewed, medical tourism in 2010 brought benefits to - and apparently had no negative impacts on - the Thai health system and economy. We estimate that the total number of medical tourists visiting Thailand is about 10% of previous national government estimates of 1.2 million. Such tourists appear to bring economic benefits to Thailand and to have negligible effects on the health system.

  5. Latent Profile Analysis of Good Citizenship of Rajabhat Universities' Students in the Northeast of Thailand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Siphai, Sunan; Srisa-ard, Boonchoom

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was 1) to develop good citizenship indicators of Rajabhat Universities' Students in the Northeast of Thailand. 2) to classify latent profile of good citizenship of Rajabhat University's students in the northeast of Thailand. The sample was 800 Rajabhat University's students in the northeast of Thailand. Findings 1) there…

  6. An investigation of snakebite antivenom usage in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Lin, Chih-Chuan; Chaou, Chung-Hsien; Tseng, Chiung-Yao

    2016-08-01

    Four types of antivenom are used to treat snakebites by the six species of venomous snakes native to Taiwan. Research into antivenom use in Taiwan and its outcomes, as well as the utility of current Taiwan Poison Control Center guidelines for antivenom use, has been limited. We aimed to provide increased understanding by investigating the treatment and outcomes of patients treated for snakebite in Taiwan. On the basis of data collected from the 2009 Taiwan National Health Insurance database, patients with snakebites were identified and categorized into two sets of groups according to types of antivenom administered. The relationships between antivenom types, dosage and the variables of antibiotic use, surgical intervention, acute respiratory failure acute, renal failure, antivenom-related allergic reaction, mortality, need for hospital admission, and length of hospitalization were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression and the Kruskal-Wallis test. The majority of patients were successfully treated by administration of 1 vial of antivenom and discharged without complications. However, patients treated for neurotoxic-type venom snakebite required administration of larger doses of antivenom and > 30% required surgical intervention, particularly those treated for Chinese cobra snakebite. Approximately 10% of patients were administered two types of antivenom. The results partially support Taiwan Poison Control Center guidelines for treating the hemorrhagic-type venom snakebite. However, deficit in the guidelines for treatment of neurotoxic-type venom snakebite is obvious and new guidelines for treatment of neurotoxic-type venom snakebite and diagnosis should be developed. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  7. A material flow of lithium batteries in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Chang, T C; You, S J; Yu, B S; Yao, K F

    2009-04-30

    Li batteries, including secondary and cylindrical/button primary Li batteries, are used worldwide in computers, communications and consumer electronics products. However, there are several dangerous issues that occur during the manufacture, shipping, and storage of Li batteries. This study analyzes the material flow of lithium batteries and their valuable heavy metals in Taiwan for the year 2006 by material flow analysis. According to data from the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration, Taiwan External Trade Development Council, Bureau of Foreign Trade, Directorate General of Customs, and the Li batteries manufactures/importers/exporters. It was found that 2,952,696 kg of Li batteries was input into Taiwan for the year 2006, including 2,256,501 kg of imported Li batteries and 696,195 kg of stock Li batteries in 2005. In addition, 1,113,867 and 572,215 kg of Li batteries was domestically produced and sold abroad, revealing that 3,494,348 kg of different types of Li batteries was sold in Taiwan. Of these domestically sold batteries, 504,663 and 146,557 kg were treated domestically and abroad. Thus, a total of 2,843,128 kg of Li batteries was stored by individual/industry users or illegally disposed. In addition, it was also observed that 2,120,682 kg of heavy metals contained in Li batteries, including Ni, Co, Al, Cu and Ni, was accumulated in Taiwan, with a recycled value of 38.8 million USD. These results suggest that these heavy metals should be recovered by suitable collection, recycling and reuse procedures.

  8. Characterization of H5N6 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses isolated from wild and captive birds in the winter season of 2016-2017 in Northern Japan.

    PubMed

    Hiono, Takahiro; Okamatsu, Masatoshi; Matsuno, Keita; Haga, Atsushi; Iwata, Ritsuko; Nguyen, Lam Thanh; Suzuki, Mizuho; Kikutani, Yuto; Kida, Hiroshi; Onuma, Manabu; Sakoda, Yoshihiro

    2017-09-01

    On 15 November 2016, a black swan that had died in a zoo in Akita prefecture, northern Japan, was strongly suspected to have highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI); an HPAI virus (HPAIV) belonging to the H5N6 subtype was isolated from specimens taken from the bird. After the initial report, 230 cases of HPAI caused by H5N6 viruses from wild birds, captive birds, and domestic poultry farms were reported throughout the country during the winter season. In the present study, 66 H5N6 HPAIVs isolated from northern Japan were further characterized. Phylogenetic analysis of the hemagglutinin gene showed that the H5N6 viruses isolated in northern Japan clustered into Group C of Clade 2.3.4.4 together with other isolates collected in Japan, Korea and Taiwan during the winter season of 2016-2017. The antigenicity of the Japanese H5N6 isolate differed slightly from that of HPAIVs isolated previously in Japan and China. The virus exhibited high pathogenicity and a high replication capacity in chickens, whereas virus growth was slightly lower in ducks compared with that of an H5N8 HPAIV isolate collected in Japan in 2014. Comprehensive analyses of Japanese isolates, including those from central, western, and southern Japan, as well as rapid publication of this information are essential for facilitating greater control of HPAIVs. © 2017 The Societies and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  9. Canine distemper virus in wild ferret-badgers of Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Chen, Chen-Chih; Pei, Kurtis Jai-Chyi; Liao, Ming-Huei; Mortenson, Jack A

    2008-04-01

    Canine distemper is an acute or subacute, highly contagious, febrile disease that is caused by canine distemper virus (CDV). Two CDV-infected wild Taiwan ferret-badgers (Melogale moschata subauantiaca) were found in Kaohsiung County, southern Taiwan, in 2005. Each case was confirmed by detecting CDV RNA in lung and brain tissues. A suspected third case was detected based on clinical signs and histology. These cases are the first record of wildlife infected by CDV in Taiwan. It is believed that domestic dogs or coexisting wild carnivores infected with the virus were the most likely source, and a serologic survey is needed to fully understand the host range of this virus in Taiwan. In addition, further genetic sequencing is needed to determine the source of these CDV cases.

  10. Molecular survey of canine vector-borne diseases in stray dogs in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Liu, Mingming; Ruttayaporn, Ngasaman; Saechan, Vannarat; Jirapattharasate, Charoonluk; Vudriko, Patrick; Moumouni, Paul Franck Adjou; Cao, Shinuo; Inpankaew, Tawin; Ybañez, Adrian P; Suzuki, Hiroshi; Xuan, Xuenan

    2016-08-01

    Despite the large population of stray dogs in Thailand, there is limited information on the prevalence of canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs). In this study, a molecular survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of Babesia spp., Ehrlichia canis, Hepatozoon spp., Anaplasma platys and Mycoplasma spp. in dogs in Thailand. Of the 181 dog blood samples tested by PCR, 78/181 (43.1%) were found to be infected with one or more pathogens. The overall prevalence rates of Mycoplasma spp., Hepatozoon spp., Babesia spp., A. platys and E. canis infections were 19.9%, 18.8%, 9.4%, 4.4% and 3.9%, respectively. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of Mycoplasma infection in Thailand in dogs. The current findings are important for future surveillance of CVBDs and designing appropriate approaches for diagnosis and control for the diseases in Thailand. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Tourists' attitudes towards ban on smoking in air-conditioned hotel lobbies in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Viriyachaiyo, V; Lim, A

    2009-06-01

    Thailand is internationally renowned for its stringent tobacco control measures. In Thailand, a regulation banning smoking in air-conditioned hotel lobbies was issued in late 2006, causing substantial apprehension within the hospitality industry. A survey of tourists' attitudes toward the ban was conducted. A cross-sectional survey of 5550 travellers staying in various hotels in Bangkok, Surat Thani, Phuket, Krabi and Songkhla provinces, October 2005 to December 2006. Travellers aged 15 years or older with a check-in duration of at least one day and willing to complete the questionnaire were requested by hotel staff to fill in the 5-minute questionnaire at check-in or later at their convenience. Secondhand cigarette smoke was recognised as harmful to health by 89.7% of respondents. 47.8% of travellers were aware of the Thai regulation banning smoking in air-conditioned restaurants. 80.9% of the respondents agreed with the ban, particularly female non-smokers. 38.6% of survey respondents indicated that they would be more likely to visit Thailand again because of the regulation, 53.4% that the regulation would not affect their decision and 7.9% that they would be less likely to visit Thailand again. Banning smoking in air-conditioned hotel lobbies in Thailand is widely supported by tourists. Enforcement of the regulation is more likely to attract tourists than dissuade them from holidaying in Thailand.

  12. Cigarette Waste in Popular Beaches in Thailand: High Densities that Demand Environmental Action.

    PubMed

    Kungskulniti, Nipapun; Charoenca, Naowarut; Hamann, Stephen L; Pitayarangsarit, Siriwan; Mock, Jeremiah

    2018-03-29

    Thailand, like all nations, has a responsibility to initiate environmental actions to preserve marine environments. Low- and middle-income countries face difficulties implementing feasible strategies to fulfill this ambitious goal. To contribute to the revitalization of Thailand's marine ecosystems, we investigated the level of tobacco product waste (TPW) on Thailand's public beaches. We conducted a cross-sectional observational survey at two popular public beaches. Research staff collected cigarette butts over two eight-hour days walking over a one-kilometer stretch of beach. We also compiled and analyzed data on butts collected from sieved sand at 11 popular beaches throughout Thailand's coast, with 10 samples of sieved sand collected per beach. Our survey at two beaches yielded 3067 butts in lounge areas, resulting in a mean butt density of 0.44/m². At the 11 beaches, sieved sand samples yielded butt densities ranging from 0.25 to 13.3/m², with a mean butt density of 2.26/m² (SD = 3.78). These densities show that TPW has become a serious problem along Thailand's coastline. Our findings are comparable with those in other countries. We report on government and civil society initiatives in Thailand that are beginning to address marine TPW. The solution will only happen when responsible parties, especially and primarily tobacco companies, undertake actions to eliminate TPW.

  13. 75 FR 36635 - Circular Welded Carbon Steel Pipes and Tubes From Thailand: Rescission of Antidumping Duty...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-28

    ... Pipes and Tubes From Thailand: Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review AGENCY: Import... tubes from Thailand. See Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Order, Finding, or Suspended Investigation... the antidumping duty order on circular welded carbon steel pipes and tubes from Thailand for the...

  14. Overview of Botanical Status in EU, USA, and Thailand

    PubMed Central

    Mahady, Gail B.

    2013-01-01

    The botanical status in EU, USA, and Thailand is different owing to the regulatory status, the progress of science, and the influence of culture and society. In the EU, botanicals are positioned as herbal medicinal products and food supplements, in the US they are regulated as dietary supplements but often used as traditional medicines, and in Thailand, they are regulated and used as traditional medicines. Information for some of the most popular botanicals from each country is included in this review. PMID:24228061

  15. Genetic diversity of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus based on two hypervariable effector genes in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Puttamuk, Thamrongjet; Zhou, Lijuan; Thaveechai, Niphone; Zhang, Shouan; Armstrong, Cheryl M; Duan, Yongping

    2014-01-01

    Huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening, is one of the most destructive diseases of citrus worldwide. HLB is associated with three species of 'Candidatus Liberibacter' with 'Ca. L. asiaticus' (Las) being the most widely distributed around the world, and the only species detected in Thailand. To understand the genetic diversity of Las bacteria in Thailand, we evaluated two closely-related effector genes, lasAI and lasAII, found within the Las prophages from 239 infected citrus and 55 infected psyllid samples collected from different provinces in Thailand. The results indicated that most of the Las-infected samples collected from Thailand contained at least one prophage sequence with 48.29% containing prophage 1 (FP1), 63.26% containing prophage 2 (FP2), and 19.38% containing both prophages. Interestingly, FP2 was found to be the predominant population in Las-infected citrus samples while Las-infected psyllids contained primarily FP1. The multiple banding patterns that resulted from amplification of lasAI imply extensive variation exists within the full and partial repeat sequence while the single band from lasAII indicates a low amount of variation within the repeat sequence. Phylogenetic analysis of Las-infected samples from 22 provinces in Thailand suggested that the bacterial pathogen may have been introduced to Thailand from China and the Philippines. This is the first report evaluating the genetic variation of a large population of Ca. L. asiaticus infected samples in Thailand using the two effector genes from Las prophage regions.

  16. UK medical tourists in Thailand: they are not who you think they are.

    PubMed

    Noree, Thinakorn; Hanefeld, Johanna; Smith, Richard

    2014-05-06

    Travel for medical treatment is an aspect of globalization and health that is comparatively less understood. Little is known about volume, characteristic and motivation of medical tourists, limiting understanding of effects on health systems and patients. Thailand is amongst a handful of countries that have positioned themselves as medical tourism destination. This paper examines in unprecedented detail volume and characteristics of medical tourists who travel from the UK to Thailand for treatment. As part of a wider medical tourism study, authors gained access to over 4000 patient records from the five largest private hospitals in Thailand. These included information on country of origin, gender, age, arrival month, hospitalization, diagnosis, procedures, length of stay, medical expenditure and type of payment. Patient records were analysed to understand who travels and findings were triangulated with data from the UK International Passenger Survey (IPS). 104,830 medical tourists visited these hospitals in Thailand in 2010. While patients originate all over the world, UK medical tourists represent the largest group amongst Europeans. The majority UK medical tourists (60%) have comparatively small, elective procedures, costing less than USD 500. A significant minority of patients travel for more serious orthopedic and cardiothoracic procedures. Data of individual patient records from Thailand shows a higher number of UK patients traveled to Thailand than indicated by the IPS. Thailand is attracting a large number of medical tourists including larger numbers of UK patients than previously estimated. However, as many patients travel for comparatively minor procedures treatment may not be their primary motivation for travel. The small but significant proportion of older UK residents traveling for complex procedures may point to challenges within the NHS.

  17. Long-term trends and variability of total and extreme precipitation in Thailand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Limsakul, Atsamon; Singhruck, Patama

    2016-03-01

    Based on quality-controlled daily station data, long-term trends and variability of total and extreme precipitation indices during 1955-2014 were examined for Thailand. An analysis showed that while precipitation events have been less frequent across most of Thailand, they have become more intense. Moreover, the indices measuring the magnitude of intense precipitation events indicate a trend toward wetter conditions, with heavy precipitation contributing a greater fraction to annual totals. One consequence of this change is the increased frequency and severity of flash floods as recently evidenced in many parts of Thailand. On interannual-to-interdecadal time scales, significant relationships between variability of precipitation indices and the indices for the state of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) were found. These results provide additional evidence that large-scale climate phenomena in the Pacific Ocean are remote drivers of variability in Thailand's total and extreme precipitation. Thailand tended to have greater amounts of precipitation and more extreme events during La Niña years and the PDO cool phase, and vice versa during El Niño years and the PDO warm phase. Another noteworthy finding is that in 2011 Thailand experienced extensive flooding in a year characterized by exceptionally extreme precipitation events. Our results are consistent with the regional studies for the Asia-Pacific Network. However, this study provides a more detailed picture of coherent trends at a station scale and documents changes that have occurred in the twenty-first century, both of which help to inform decisions concerning effective management strategies.

  18. Epidemiology of organophosphate pesticide poisoning in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Lin, Tzeng Jih; Walter, Frank Gardner; Hung, Dong Zong; Tsai, Jin Lian; Hu, Sheng Chuan; Chang, Jung San; Deng, Jou-Fang; Chase, Jung San; Denninghoff, Kurt; Chan, Hon Man

    2008-11-01

    The nationwide epidemiology of organophosphate pesticide (OP) poisoning has never been reported in detail for Taiwan. This study retrospectively reviewed all human OP exposures reported to Taiwan's Poison Control Centers (PCCs) from July 1985 through December 2006. There were 4799 OP exposures. Most OP exposures were acute (98.37%) ingestions (74.50%) of a single OP (80.37%) to attempt suicide (64.72%) in adults (93.25%). Males were the most common gender (64.95%). Most patients (61.97%) received atropine and/or pralidoxime. The mortality rate for all 4799 OP exposures was 12.71%. Exposures to single OPs without co-intoxicants caused 524 deaths; of these, 63.36% were due to dimethyl OPs. Dimethyl OPs cause the majority of deaths in Taiwan.

  19. 78 FR 21105 - Circular Welded Carbon Steel Pipes and Tubes From Thailand: Preliminary Results of Antidumping...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-04-09

    ... Pipes and Tubes From Thailand: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2011- 2012... on circular welded carbon steel pipes and tubes from Thailand. This review covers two producers... welded carbon steel pipes and tubes from Thailand.\\1\\ The merchandise is classifiable under the...

  20. 76 FR 6603 - Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp from Thailand; Notice of Amended Final Results of Antidumping...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-02-07

    ... Shrimp from Thailand; Notice of Amended Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review AGENCY... Results On September 12, 2007, the Department of Commerce (the Department) published the final results of...) from Thailand. See Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp from Thailand: Final Results and Final Partial...

  1. Health care financing in Asia: key issues and challenges.

    PubMed

    Kwon, Soonman

    2011-09-01

    This article examines the major elements of health care financing such as financial risk protection, resource generation, resource pooling, and purchasing and payment; provides key lessons; and discusses the challenges for health care financing systems of Asian countries. With the exception of Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand, most health care systems of Asia provide very limited financial risk protection. The role of public prepaid schemes such as tax and social health insurance is minimal, and out-of-pocket payment is a major source of financing. The large informal sector is a major challenge to the extension of population coverage in many low-income countries of Asia, which must seek the optimal mix of tax subsidy and health insurance for universal coverage. Implementation of effective payment systems to control the behavior of health care providers is also a key factor in the success of health care financing reform in Asia.

  2. Global Molecular Epidemiology of IMP-Producing Enterobacteriaceae.

    PubMed

    Matsumura, Yasufumi; Peirano, Gisele; Motyl, Mary R; Adams, Mark D; Chen, Liang; Kreiswirth, Barry; DeVinney, Rebekah; Pitout, Johann D D

    2017-04-01

    International data on the molecular epidemiology of Enterobacteriaceae with IMP carbapenemases are lacking. We performed short-read (Illumina) whole-genome sequencing on a global collection of 38 IMP-producing clinical Enterobacteriaceae (2008 to 2014). IMP-producing Enterobacteriaceae (7 varieties within 11 class 1 integrons) were mainly present in the South Pacific and Asia. Specific bla IMP -containing integrons (In809 with bla IMP-4 , In722 with bla IMP-6 , and In687 with bla IMP-14 ) were circulating among different bacteria in countries such as Australia, Japan, and Thailand. In1312 with bla IMP-1 was present in Klebsiella pneumoniae from Japan and Citrobacter freundii from Brazil. Klebsiella pneumoniae ( n = 22) was the most common species; clonal complex 14 (CC14) from Philippines and Japan was the most common clone and contained In1310 with bla IMP-26 and In1321 with bla IMP-6 The Enterobacter cloacae complex ( n = 9) consisted of Enterobacter hormaechei and E. cloacae cluster III. CC78 (from Taiwan) containing In73 with bla IMP-8 was the most common clone among the E. cloacae complex. This study highlights the importance of surveillance programs using the latest molecular techniques for providing insight into the characteristics and global distribution of Enterobacteriaceae with bla IMP genes. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

  3. Earthquake-induced gravitational potential energy change in the active Taiwan orogenic belt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lo, Chung-Liang; Hsu, Shu-Kun

    2005-07-01

    The Philippine Sea Plate is converging against the Eurasian Plate near Taiwan at a velocity of 7-8 cm yr-1 this has caused the Taiwan orogenesis and induced abundant earthquakes. In this study we examine the corresponding change of gravitational potential energy (ΔGPE) using 757 earthquakes from the earthquake catalogue of the Broadband Array in Taiwan for Seismology (BATS) from 1995 July to 2003 December. Our results show that the variation of the crustal ΔGPE strongly correlates with the different stages of the orogenesis. Except for the western Okinawa Trough and southern Taiwan, most of the Taiwan convergent region exhibits a gain of crustal ΔGPE. In contrast, the lithospheric ΔGPE in the Taiwan region exhibits a reverse pattern. For the whole Taiwan region, the earthquake-induced crustal ΔGPE and the lithospheric ΔGPE during the observation period are 1.03 × 1017 J and -1.15 × 1017 J, respectively. The average rate of the whole ΔGPE in the Taiwan region is very intense and equal to -2.07 × 1010 W, corresponding to about 1 per cent of the global GPE loss induced by earthquakes.

  4. 75 FR 68324 - Certain Stainless Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings From Japan, South Korea and Taiwan; Final Results...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-11-05

    .... SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Scope of the Orders Japan The products covered by this order include certain... designing the piping system: (1) Corrosion of the piping system will occur if material other than stainless... designing the piping system: (1) Corrosion of the piping system will occur if material other than stainless...

  5. Motorcycle pollution control in Taiwan, Republic of China

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

    Chen, H.W.; Hsiao, H.C.; Walsh, M.P.

    1998-12-31

    The Taiwan EPA has developed a comprehensive approach to motor vehicle pollution control. Building on its early adoption of US `83 standards for light duty vehicles (starting July 1, 1990) it recently moved to US `87 requirements, which include the 0.2 gram per mile particulate standard, as of July 1, 1995. Heavy duty diesel particulate standards almost as stringent as US `90, 6.0 grams per brake horsepower hour NO{sub x} and 0.7 particulate, using the US transient test procedure, went into effect on July 1, 1993. It is intended that US`94 standards, 5.0 NO{sub x} and 0.25 particulate, will bemore » adopted soon. Clearly the most distinctive feature of the Taiwan program, however, is its motorcycle control effort, reflecting the fact that motorcycles dominate the vehicle fleet and are a substantial source of emissions. This paper will summarize Taiwan`s extensive efforts to address this problem.« less

  6. Off to a good start: A comparative study of changes in men's first job prospects in East Asia.

    PubMed

    Yu, Wei-Hsin; Chiu, Chi-Tsun

    2014-09-01

    Research on young adults' transition to the labor market rarely investigates how nation-level institutional arrangements shape changes over time. In particular, a systematic comparison of shifts in young adults' job opportunities in East Asia is virtually absent. Using comparable data from Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, we examine cohort differences in the timing, quality, and stability of men's first jobs. The results indicate overall declines in first occupational attainment for men in all three countries, but the main driving force for the decrease in Japan differs from that in Korea and Taiwan. Whereas macroeconomic pressure fully explains the decline in Japanese men's first occupational attainment, educational expansion accounts for a considerable part of the declines for men in Korea and Taiwan. Moreover, educational expansion has eroded better-educated men's advantages in speedily transitioning from school to work in Taiwan, but it has not had a similar effect on Japanese men. We argue that Japan's employment system, coupled with a fair amount of institutional ties between schools and firms, has shielded young men from the pressure of educational expansion, making the trends about their early-career outcomes different from those of their counterparts in Korea and Taiwan. The different degrees to which firm internal labor markets have been adopted in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan also explain how increasing macroeconomic pressure has different impacts on men's first job stability in East Asia.

  7. Classification management plan of groundwater quality in Taiwan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Chun Ming; Chen, Yu Ying; Pan, Shih Cheng; Li, Hui Jun; Hsiao, Fang Ke

    2017-04-01

    Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration has been monitoring regional water quality for 14 years. Since the beginning of 2002 till now, there are 453 regional groundwater monitoring wells in ten groundwater subregions in Taiwan, and the monitoring of groundwater quality has been carried out for a long time. Currently, water quality monitoring project has reached 50 items, while the number of water quality monitoring data has reached more than 20,000. In order to use the monitoring data efficiently, this study constructed the localized groundwater quality indicators of Taiwan. This indicator takes into account the different users' point of view, incorporating the Taiwan groundwater pollution monitoring standards (Category II), irrigation water quality standard and drinking water source water quality standard. 50 items of water quality monitoring projects were simplified and classified. The groundwater quality parameters were divided into five items, such as potability for drinking water, salting, external influence, health influences and toxicity hazard. The weight of the five items of groundwater was calculated comprehensively, and the groundwater quality of each monitoring well was evaluated with three grades of good, ordinary, and poor. According to the monitoring results of the groundwater monitoring wells in October to December of 2016, about 70% of groundwater quality in Taiwan is in good to ordinary grades. The areas with poor groundwater quality were mostly distributed in coastal, agriculture and part of the urban areas. The conductivity or ammonia nitrogen concentration was higher in those regions, showing that groundwater may be salinized or affected by external influences. Groundwater quality indicators can clearly show the current comprehensive situation of the groundwater environment in Taiwan and can be used as a tool for groundwater quality classification management. The indicators can coordinate with the Taiwan land planning policy in the

  8. 78 FR 49288 - Sunshine Act Meeting Notice

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-08-13

    ... in Inv. Nos. 701-TA-499-500 and 731-TA-1215-1223 (Preliminary) (Certain Oil Country Tubular Goods from India, Korea, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, and Vietnam). The...

  9. 75 FR 18788 - Circular Welded Carbon Steel Pipes and Tubes from Thailand: Preliminary Results and Rescission...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-04-13

    ... Pipes and Tubes from Thailand: Preliminary Results and Rescission, in Part, of Antidumping Duty... review of the antidumping duty order on circular welded carbon steel pipes and tubes from Thailand, in... welded carbon steel pipes and tubes from Thailand. See Antidumping Duty Order: Circular Welded Carbon...

  10. 75 FR 36359 - Polyethylene Retail Carrier Bags From Thailand: Extension of Time Limit for Preliminary Results...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-25

    ... Bags From Thailand: Extension of Time Limit for Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative... polyethylene retail carrier bags from Thailand. See Antidumping Duty Order: Polyethylene Retail Carrier Bags From Thailand, 69 FR 48204 (August 9, 2004). On September 22, 2009, we published a notice of initiation...

  11. Hepatitis B epidemiology in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

    PubMed

    André, F

    2000-02-18

    Asia and Africa have previously been classified as areas of high endemicity for hepatitis B virus (HBV), but in some countries highly effective vaccination programmes have shifted this pattern towards intermediate or low endemicity. Thus, China is now the only country in Asia where HBV endemicity is high. Countries with intermediate endemicity include India, Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand, and those with low endemicity include Japan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Malaysia. Most countries in Africa have high HBV endemicity, with the exceptions of Tunisia and Morocco, which have intermediate endemicity. Zambia has borderline intermediate/high endemicity. In the Middle East, Bahrain, Iran, Israel and Kuwait are areas of low endemicity, Cyprus, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates have intermediate endemicity, and Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Palestine, Yemen and Saudi Arabia have high endemicity. All of these Middle East countries reach a large proportion of their population with hepatitis B vaccination, which is reducing the infection rate, particularly in Saudi Arabia. The vaccination programme in Taiwan has also greatly reduced the HBV infection rate. Future vaccination programmes must take into account the mode of transmission of HBV, the healthcare infrastructure to deliver vaccination, and the socioeconomic and political factors in each individual country, to determine the most cost-effective way of infection control.

  12. Three depositional states and sedimentary processes of the western Taiwan foreland basin system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Yi-Jung; Wu, Pei-Jen; Yu, Ho-Shing

    2010-05-01

    The western Taiwan foreland basin formed during the Early Pliocene as the flexural response to the loading of Taiwan orogen on the Eurasian plate. What makes Taiwan interesting is the oblique collision, which allows the foreland basin to be seen at different stages in its evolution at the present day. Due to oblique arc-continent collision from north to south, the western Taiwan foreland basin has evolved into three distinct subbasins: an over-filled basin proximal to the Taiwan orogen, mainly distributed in the Western Foothills and Coastal Plain provinces, a filled basin occupying the shallow Taiwan Strait continental shelf west of the Taiwan orogen and an under-filled basin distal to the Taiwan orogen in the deep marine Kaoping Slope offshore southwest Taiwan, respectively. The over-filled depositional phase is dominated by fluvial environments across the structurally controlled piggy-back basins. The filled depositional state in the Taiwan Strait is characterized by shallow marine environments and is filled by Pliocene-Quaternary sediments up to 4,000 m thick derived from the Taiwan orogen with an asymmetrical and wedge-shaped cross section. The under-filled depositional state is characteristic of deep marine environments in the wedge-top basins accompanied by active structures of thrust faults and mud diapers. Sediments derived from the Taiwan orogen have progressively filled the western Taiwan foreland basin across and along the orogen. Sediment dispersal model suggests that orogenic sediments derived from oblique dischronous collisional highlands are transported in two different ways. Transport of fluvial and shallow marine sediments is perpendicular to hill-slope and across-strike in the fluvial and shallow marine environments proximal to the orogen. Fine-grained sediments mainly longitudinally transported into the deep marine environments distal to the orogen. The present sedimentary processes in the over-filled basin on land are dominated by fluvial

  13. Influenza A(H6N1) Virus in Dogs, Taiwan

    PubMed Central

    Lin, Hui-Ting; Wang, Ching-Ho; Chueh, Ling-Ling; Su, Bi-Ling

    2015-01-01

    We determined the prevalence of influenza A virus in dogs in Taiwan and isolated A/canine/Taiwan/E01/2014. Molecular analysis indicated that this isolate was closely related to influenza A(H6N1) viruses circulating in Taiwan and harbored the E627K substitution in the polymerase basic 2 protein, which indicated its ability to replicate in mammalian species. PMID:26583707

  14. Thailand National Programme of the Earth Resources Technology Satellite

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sabhasri, S.; Swasdiyakorn, C. (Principal Investigator)

    1975-01-01

    The author has identified the following significant results. Forest inventory of Thailand was completed in January 1975, using LANDSAT-1 imagery and ground truth survey. Results showed the existing forest covers only 37% of the land area. The last country-wide survey using aerial survey photographs at 1:60,000 scale conducted in 1961 gave the figure of 58%. ERTS-1 imagery showed that Thailand's mangrove forest covers an area of approximately 3130 sq k. The previous aerial survey showed 3681 sq k of mangroves.

  15. Sobriety checkpoints in Thailand: a review of effectiveness and developments over time.

    PubMed

    Ditsuwan, Vallop; Veerman, J Lennert; Bertram, Melanie; Vos, Theo

    2015-03-01

    This review describes the legal basis for and implementation of sobriety checkpoints in Thailand and identifies factors that influenced their historical development and effectiveness. The first alcohol and traffic injury control law in Thailand was implemented in 1934. The 0.05 g/100 mL blood alcohol concentration limit was set in 1994. Currently, 3 types of sobriety checkpoints are used: general police checkpoints, selective breath testing, and special event sobriety checkpoints. The authors found few reports on the strategies, frequencies, and outcomes for any of these types of checkpoints, despite Thailand having devoted many resources to their implementation. In Thailand and other low-middle income countries, it is necessary to address the country-specific barriers to successful enforcement (including political and logistical issues, lack of equipment, and absence of other supportive alcohol harm reduction measures) before sobriety checkpoints can be expected to be as effective as reported in high-income countries. © 2011 APJPH.

  16. Analysis of health promotion and prevention financing mechanisms in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Watabe, Akihito; Wongwatanakul, Weranuch; Thamarangsi, Thaksaphon; Prakongsai, Phusit; Yuasa, Motoyuki

    2017-08-01

    In the transition to the post-2015 agenda, many countries are striving towards universal health coverage (UHC). Achieving this, governments need to shift from curative care to promotion and prevention services. This research analyses Thailand's financing system for health promotion and prevention, and assesses policy options for health financing reforms. The study employed a mixed-methods approach and integrates multiple sources of evidence, including scientific and grey literature, expenditure data, and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders in Thailand. The analysis was underpinned by the use of a well-known health financing framework. In Thailand, three agencies plus local governments share major funding roles for health promotion and prevention services: the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), the National Health Security Office, the Thai Health Promotion Foundation and Tambon Health Insurance Funds. The total expenditure on prevention and public health in 2010 was 10.8% of the total health expenditure, greater than many middle-income countries that average 7.0-9.2%. MOPH was the largest contributor at 32.9%, the Universal Coverage scheme was the second at 23.1%, followed by the local governments and ThaiHealth at 22.8 and 7.3%, respectively. Thailand's health financing system for promotion and prevention is strategic and innovative due to the three complementary mechanisms in operation. There are several methodological limitations to determine the adequate level of spending. The health financing reforms in Thailand could usefully inform policymakers on ways to increase spending on promotion and prevention. Further comparative policy research is needed to generate evidence to support efforts towards UHC. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press.

  17. Education in Taiwan (Formosa). Bulletin, 1956, No. 3

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sassani, Abul H. K.

    1956-01-01

    "Education in Taiwan (Formosa)" is based mostly on official reports of the Ministry of Education published in Taiwan, including other official and private reports which are not yet published. The text has been supplemented with additional data and information obtained from other official sources and through interviews with Chinese…

  18. Program Changes in Technology Teacher Education in Taiwan.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lai, Chih-Chien Steven

    Taiwan has two technology teacher departments: one at the National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) and the other at National Kaohsiung Normal University (NKNU). In recent years, both universities' technology teacher education programs have simultaneously followed two lines of development: the transition from an industrial arts education program to…

  19. New advances in molecular epizootiology of canine hematic protozoa from Venezuela, Thailand and Spain.

    PubMed

    Criado-Fornelio, A; Rey-Valeiron, C; Buling, A; Barba-Carretero, J C; Jefferies, R; Irwin, P

    2007-03-31

    The prevalence of hematozoan infections (Hepatozoon canis and Babesia sp., particularly Babesia canis vogeli) in canids from Venezuela, Thailand and Spain was studied by amplification and sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene. H. canis infections caused simultaneously by two different isolates were confirmed by RFLP analysis in samples from all the geographic regions studied. In Venezuela, blood samples from 134 dogs were surveyed. Babesia infections were found in 2.24% of the dogs. Comparison of sequences of the 18S rRNA gene indicated that protozoan isolates were genetically identical to B. canis vogeli from Japan and Brazil. H. canis infected 44.77 per cent of the dogs. A representative sample of Venezuelan H. canis isolates (21.6% of PCR-positives) was sequenced. Many of them showed 18S rRNA gene sequences identical to H. canis Spain 2, albeit two less frequent genotypes were found in the sample studied. In Thailand, 20 dogs were analyzed. No infections caused by Babesia were diagnosed, whereas 30 per cent of the dogs were positive to hematozoan infection. Two protozoa isolates showing 99.7-100% identity to H. canis Spain 2 were found. In Spain, 250 dogs were studied. B. canis vogeli infected 0.01% of the animals. The sequence of the 18S rRNA gene in Spanish isolates of this protozoa was closely related to those previously deposited in GenBank (> 99% identity). Finally, 20 red foxes were screened for hematozoans employing semi-nested PCR and primers designed to detect Babesia/Theileria. Fifty percent of the foxes were positive to Theileria annae. In addition, it was found that the PCR assay was able as well to detect Hepatozoon infections. Thirty five percent of the foxes were infected with two different H. canis isolates showing 99.8-100% identity to Curupira 1 from Brazil.

  20. Taiwan Ascii and Idl_save Data Archives (AIDA) for THEMIS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, B.; Hsieh, W.; Shue, J.; Angelopoulos, V.; Glassmeier, K. H.; McFadden, J. P.; Larson, D.

    2008-12-01

    THEMIS (Time History of Events and their Macroscopic Interactions during Substorms) is a satellite mission that aims to determine where and how substorms are triggered. The space research team in Taiwan has been involved in data promotion and scientific research. Taiwan Ascii and Idl_save Data Archives (AIDA) for THEMIS is the main work of the data promotion. Taiwan AIDA is developed for those who are not familiar with the Interactive Data Language (IDL) data analysis and visualization software, and those who have some basic IDL concepts and techniques and want more flexibilities in reading and plotting the THEMIS data. Two kinds of data format are stored in Taiwan AIDA: one is ASCII format for most users and the other is IDL SAVE format for IDL users. The public can download THEMIS data in either format through the Taiwan AIDA web site, http://themis.ss.ncu.edu.tw/e_data_download.php. Taiwan AIDA provides (1) plasma data including number density, average temperature, and velocity of ions and electrons, (2) magnetic field data, and (3) state information including the position and velocity of five THEMIS probes. On the Taiwan AIDA web site there are two data-downloading options. The public can download a large amount of data for a particular instrument in the FTP equivalent option; the public can also download all the data for a particular date in the Data Search option.

  1. Democratic Reforms in Taiwan: Issues for Congress

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-05-26

    stationed in Taiwan were happy under martial law. For local citizens, the Taiwan Garrison Command tried defendants for alleged civilian crimes ...of dissidents; sentencing of an average of 10 years for several hundred political prisoners; use of martial law to try a variety of crimes in...military courts; limited freedom of speech , political assembly, freedom of the press, and labor strikes; lengthy detentions incommunicado and without

  2. Induced abortion in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Wang, P D; Lin, R S

    1995-04-01

    Induced abortion is widely practised in Taiwan; however, it had been illegal until 1985. It was of interest to investigate induced abortion practices in Taiwan after its legalization in 1985 in order to calculate the prevalence rate and ratio of induced abortion to live births and to pregnancies in Taiwan. A study using questionnaires through personal interviews was conducted on more than seventeen thousand women who attended a family planning service in Taipei metropolitan areas between 1991 and 1992. The reproductive history and sexual behaviour of the subjects were especially focused on during the interviews. Preliminary findings showed that 46% of the women had a history of having had an induced abortion. Among them, 54.8% had had one abortion, 29.7% had had two, and 15.5% had had three or more. The abortion ratio was 379 induced abortions per 1,000 live births and 255 per 1,000 pregnancies. The abortion ratio was highest for women younger than 20 years of age, for aboriginal women and for nulliparous women. When logistic regression was used to control for confounding variables, we found that the number of previous live births is the strongest predictor relating to women seeking induced abortion. In addition, a significant positive association exists between increasing number of induced abortions and cervical dysplasia.

  3. 76 FR 72722 - Helical Spring Lock Washers From China and Taiwan

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-11-25

    ... Spring Lock Washers From China and Taiwan Determination On the basis of the record \\1\\ developed in the... antidumping duty orders on helical spring lock washers from China and Taiwan would be likely to lead to... with respect to helical spring lock washers from Taiwan. Background The Commission instituted these...

  4. An Evaluation of Taiwan Vocational and Technical Education Programs in Agriculture.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meaders, O. Donald; Chi-ho, Hu

    Presented in both English and Chinese, this study of the system of agricultural education in Taiwan secondary and postsecondary schools resulted from the author's five-month stay in Taiwan and subsequent visits. Focus of the study is on evaluation of Taiwan's vocational agriculture education programs with information about students, faculties,…

  5. UK medical tourists in Thailand: they are not who you think they are

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Travel for medical treatment is an aspect of globalization and health that is comparatively less understood. Little is known about volume, characteristic and motivation of medical tourists, limiting understanding of effects on health systems and patients. Thailand is amongst a handful of countries that have positioned themselves as medical tourism destination. This paper examines in unprecedented detail volume and characteristics of medical tourists who travel from the UK to Thailand for treatment. Methods As part of a wider medical tourism study, authors gained access to over 4000 patient records from the five largest private hospitals in Thailand. These included information on country of origin, gender, age, arrival month, hospitalization, diagnosis, procedures, length of stay, medical expenditure and type of payment. Patient records were analysed to understand who travels and findings were triangulated with data from the UK International Passenger Survey (IPS). Results 104,830 medical tourists visited these hospitals in Thailand in 2010. While patients originate all over the world, UK medical tourists represent the largest group amongst Europeans. The majority UK medical tourists (60%) have comparatively small, elective procedures, costing less than USD 500. A significant minority of patients travel for more serious orthopedic and cardiothoracic procedures. Data of individual patient records from Thailand shows a higher number of UK patients traveled to Thailand than indicated by the IPS. Conclusions Thailand is attracting a large number of medical tourists including larger numbers of UK patients than previously estimated. However, as many patients travel for comparatively minor procedures treatment may not be their primary motivation for travel. The small but significant proportion of older UK residents traveling for complex procedures may point to challenges within the NHS. PMID:24885204

  6. Genetic Diversity of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus Based on Two Hypervariable Effector Genes in Thailand

    PubMed Central

    Puttamuk, Thamrongjet; Zhou, Lijuan; Thaveechai, Niphone; Zhang, Shouan; Armstrong, Cheryl M.; Duan, Yongping

    2014-01-01

    Huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening, is one of the most destructive diseases of citrus worldwide. HLB is associated with three species of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter’ with ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ (Las) being the most widely distributed around the world, and the only species detected in Thailand. To understand the genetic diversity of Las bacteria in Thailand, we evaluated two closely-related effector genes, lasA I and lasA II, found within the Las prophages from 239 infected citrus and 55 infected psyllid samples collected from different provinces in Thailand. The results indicated that most of the Las-infected samples collected from Thailand contained at least one prophage sequence with 48.29% containing prophage 1 (FP1), 63.26% containing prophage 2 (FP2), and 19.38% containing both prophages. Interestingly, FP2 was found to be the predominant population in Las-infected citrus samples while Las-infected psyllids contained primarily FP1. The multiple banding patterns that resulted from amplification of lasA I imply extensive variation exists within the full and partial repeat sequence while the single band from lasA II indicates a low amount of variation within the repeat sequence. Phylogenetic analysis of Las-infected samples from 22 provinces in Thailand suggested that the bacterial pathogen may have been introduced to Thailand from China and the Philippines. This is the first report evaluating the genetic variation of a large population of Ca. L. asiaticus infected samples in Thailand using the two effector genes from Las prophage regions. PMID:25437428

  7. Tourists’ attitudes towards ban on smoking in air-conditioned hotel lobbies in Thailand

    PubMed Central

    Viriyachaiyo, V; Lim, A

    2009-01-01

    Background: Thailand is internationally renowned for its stringent tobacco control measures. In Thailand, a regulation banning smoking in air-conditioned hotel lobbies was issued in late 2006, causing substantial apprehension within the hospitality industry. A survey of tourists’ attitudes toward the ban was conducted. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 5550 travellers staying in various hotels in Bangkok, Surat Thani, Phuket, Krabi and Songkhla provinces, October 2005 to December 2006. Travellers aged 15 years or older with a check-in duration of at least one day and willing to complete the questionnaire were requested by hotel staff to fill in the 5-minute questionnaire at check-in or later at their convenience. Results: Secondhand cigarette smoke was recognised as harmful to health by 89.7% of respondents. 47.8% of travellers were aware of the Thai regulation banning smoking in air-conditioned restaurants. 80.9% of the respondents agreed with the ban, particularly female non-smokers. 38.6% of survey respondents indicated that they would be more likely to visit Thailand again because of the regulation, 53.4% that the regulation would not affect their decision and 7.9% that they would be less likely to visit Thailand again. Conclusion: Banning smoking in air-conditioned hotel lobbies in Thailand is widely supported by tourists. Enforcement of the regulation is more likely to attract tourists than dissuade them from holidaying in Thailand. PMID:19364754

  8. 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

  9. Japan.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Geiger, Rita; And Others

    The document offers practical and motivating techniques for studying Japan. Dedicated to promoting global awareness, separate sections discuss Japan's geography, history, culture, education, government, economics, energy, transportation, and communication. Each section presents a topical overview; suggested classroom activities; and easily…

  10. Intercultural Training for US Business Expatriates in Taiwan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chien, Tien-Chen; McLean, Gary N.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: This study aims to explore the intercultural training needs for US business expatriates on assignment in Taiwan. The study assesses Taiwan culture-specific training needs of US expatriates from the perspectives of both US expatriates and their Taiwanese colleagues and compares the perceived importance of these intercultural training needs…

  11. Development of Taiwan Undergraduates' Volunteer Service Motivation Scale

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ho-Tang, Wu; Chin-Tang, Tu; Mei-Ju, Chou; Jing-Fang, Hou; Meng-Shan, Lei

    2016-01-01

    This study aims to develop Taiwan undergraduates' volunteer service motivation scale. To begin with, item pool was proposed on the basis of literature. After discussing with three Taiwan undergraduates, item pool, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) (N = 150) was proceeded, where three tests were conducted EFA: 1. Item analysis: comparisons of…

  12. Border Malaria Associated with Multidrug Resistance on Thailand-Myanmar and Thailand-Cambodia Borders: Transmission Dynamic, Vulnerability, and Surveillance

    PubMed Central

    Bhumiratana, Adisak; Intarapuk, Apiradee; Sorosjinda-Nunthawarasilp, Prapa; Maneekan, Pannamas; Koyadun, Surachart

    2013-01-01

    This systematic review elaborates the concepts and impacts of border malaria, particularly on the emergence and spread of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax multidrug resistance (MDR) malaria on Thailand-Myanmar and Thailand-Cambodia borders. Border malaria encompasses any complex epidemiological settings of forest-related and forest fringe-related malaria, both regularly occurring in certain transmission areas and manifesting a trend of increased incidence in transmission prone areas along these borders, as the result of interconnections of human settlements and movement activities, cross-border population migrations, ecological changes, vector population dynamics, and multidrug resistance. For regional and global perspectives, this review analyzes and synthesizes the rationales pertaining to transmission dynamics and the vulnerabilities of border malaria that constrain surveillance and control of the world's most MDR falciparum and vivax malaria on these chaotic borders. PMID:23865048

  13. Medical tourism in Thailand: a cross-sectional study

    PubMed Central

    Noree, Thinakorn; Hanefeld, Johanna; Smith, Richard

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Objective To investigate the magnitude and characteristics of medical tourism in Thailand and the impact of such tourism on the Thai health system and economy. Methods In 2010, we checked the records of all visits to five private hospitals that are estimated to cover 63% of all foreign patients. We reviewed hospital records of foreign patients and obtained data on their countries of origin, diagnoses and interventions. We surveyed 293 medical tourists to collect demographic characteristics and information on their expenditure and travelling companions. To help understand the impact of medical tourism on the Thai health system, we also interviewed 15 hospital executives and 28 service providers from the private hospitals. Findings We obtained 911 913 records of hospital visits, of which 324 906 came from 104 830 medical tourists. We estimated that there were 167 000 medical tourists in Thailand in 2010. Of the medical tourists who attended our study hospitals, 67 987 (64.8%) came from the eastern Mediterranean region or Asia and 109 509 (34%) of them were treated for simple and uncomplicated conditions – i.e. general check-ups and medical consultations. The mean self-reported non-medical expenditure was 2750 United States dollars. According to the hospital staff interviewed, medical tourism in 2010 brought benefits to – and apparently had no negative impacts on – the Thai health system and economy. Conclusion We estimate that the total number of medical tourists visiting Thailand is about 10% of previous national government estimates of 1.2 million. Such tourists appear to bring economic benefits to Thailand and to have negligible effects on the health system. PMID:26769994

  14. Cross-cultural differences in infant and toddler sleep.

    PubMed

    Mindell, Jodi A; Sadeh, Avi; Wiegand, Benjamin; How, Ti Hwei; Goh, Daniel Y T

    2010-03-01

    To characterize cross-cultural sleep patterns and sleep problems in a large sample of children ages birth to 36 months in multiple predominantly-Asian (P-A) and predominantly-Caucasian (P-C) countries. Parents of 29,287 infants and toddlers (predominantly-Asian countries/regions: China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam; predominantly-Caucasian countries: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States) completed an internet-based expanded version of the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire. Overall, children from P-A countries had significantly later bedtimes, shorter total sleep times, increased parental perception of sleep problems, and were more likely to both bed-share and room-share than children from P-C countries, p<.001. Bedtimes ranged from 19:27 (New Zealand) to 22:17 (Hong Kong) and total sleep time from 11.6 (Japan) to 13.3 (New Zealand) hours, p<.0001. There were limited differences in daytime sleep. Bed-sharing with parents ranged from 5.8% in New Zealand to 83.2% in Vietnam. There was also a wide range in the percentage of parents who perceived that their child had a sleep problem (11% in Thailand to 76% in China). Overall, children from predominantly-Asian countries had significantly later bedtimes, shorter total sleep times, increased parental perception of sleep problems, and were more likely to room-share than children from predominantly-Caucasian countries/regions. These results indicate substantial differences in sleep patterns in young children across culturally diverse countries/regions. Further studies are needed to understand the basis for and impact of these interesting differences. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Systematic approach to characterisation of NORM in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Chanyotha, S; Kranrod, C; Pengvanich, P

    2015-11-01

    The aim of this article is to provide information on the systematic approach that has been developed for the measurement of natural radiation exposure and the characterisation of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) in terms of occurrence and distribution in various industrial processes, including the produced waste from the mineral industries in Thailand. The approach can be adapted for various types of study areas. The importance of collaboration among research institutions is discussed. Some developments include 25 documents; the redesign of the field equipment, such as the gamma survey meter, for convenient access to conduct measurement in various study areas; the method to collect and analyse radon gas from a natural gas pipeline and the manganese dioxide fibre to adsorb radium on-site for laboratory analysis. The NORM project in Thailand has been carried out for more than 10 y to support the development of NORM regulation in Thailand. In the previous studies as well as current, international standards for action levels have been adopted for safety purpose. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  16. Scrap computer recycling in Taiwan

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

    Lee, C.H.; Chang, S.L.; Wang, K.M.

    1999-07-01

    It is estimated that approximately 700,000 scrap personal computers will be generated each year in Taiwan. The disposal of such a huge amount of scrap computers presents a difficult task for the island due to the scarcity of landfills and incineration facilities available locally. Also, the hazardous materials contained in the scrap computers may cause serious pollution to the environment, if they are not properly disposed. Thus, EPA of Taiwan has declared scrap personal computers as a producer responsibility recycling product on July 1997 to mandate that the manufacturers, importers and sellers of personal computers have to recover and recyclemore » their scrap computers properly. Beginning on June 1, 1998, a scrap computer recycling plan is officially implemented on the island. Under this plan, consumers can deliver their unwanted personal computers to the designated collection points to receive reward money. Currently, only six items are mandated to be recycled in this recycling plan. They are notebooks, monitor and the hard disk, power supply, printed circuit board and shell of the main frame of the personal computer. This paper presents the current scrap computer recycling system in Taiwan.« less

  17. 76 FR 58040 - Certain Polyester Staple Fiber From Korea and Taiwan

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-09-19

    ... Polyester Staple Fiber From Korea and Taiwan Determination On the basis of the record \\1\\ developed in the... antidumping duty orders on certain polyester staple fiber from Korea and Taiwan would be likely to lead to...), entitled Certain Polyester Staple Fiber From Korea and Taiwan: Investigation Nos. 731-TA-825 and 826...

  18. Postgraduate psychiatric training in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Ratta-Apha, Woraphat; Sitdhiraksa, Nantawat; Saisavoey, Nattha; Lortrakul, Manote; Udomratn, Pichet

    2009-01-01

    In Thailand, after medical students graduated from medical schools, the general practitioners have to work for the government for at least three years. Then, they can enroll in postgraduate training program. Postgraduate training usually takes three to four years. All of the psychiatric training programs are supervised and monitored by the board of education of the Royal College of Psychiatrists of Thailand (RCPsychT). One of the missions of all training institutes is to prepare residents to be the high qualified psychiatrists to serve the mental well-being of Thai people. Additionally, they should teach the learners to be the leaders in academic and research fields in psychiatry. Currently, there are nine psychiatric training institutions in Thailand, most of which are running by university programs. The training program core curriculum composes of the compulsory rotations such as general psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, neurology, consultation-liaison psychiatry, mental hospital psychiatry and addiction psychiatry. Moreover, the residents also have three months for elective in each program. The learning process includes practicing in an out-patient and in-patient unit under psychiatric staff supervision, individual and group supervision, case conference, journal club, book club and grand round etc. Research in field of psychiatry and social sciences is also compulsory for board examination. The RCPsychT approved two Certificate Diplomas including Diploma of Thai Board of Psychiatry, and Diploma of Thai Board of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. There are only nine psychiatric training institutes and only thirty to forty residents enrolled in these programs in each year. The compact and collaboration of all training institutes bring about the benefits in efficiency programs management by regular meeting of representatives from each institute. They keep the standard of training program to progress in the same vision and direction. Furthermore, residents

  19. Earthquake-induced gravitational potential energy change at convergent plate boundary near Taiwan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lo, C.; Hsu, S.

    2004-12-01

    The coseismic displacement induced by earthquakes will change the gravitational potential energy (GPE). Okamoto and Tanimoto (2002) have shown that the gain of {Δ GPE} corresponds to the compressional stress regime while the loss of {Δ GPE} corresponds to the extensional stress regime. Here we show an example at a convergent plate boundary near Taiwan. The Philippine Sea Plate is converging against the Eurasian Plate with a velocity of 7-8 cm/yr near Taiwan, which has caused the active Taiwan orogeny and induced abundant earthquakes. We have examined the corresponding change of gravitational potential energy by using 757 earthquakes from the earthquake catalogue of the Broadband Array in Taiwan for Seismology (BATS) from July 1995 to December 2003. The results show that the variation of the crustal Δ GPE strongly correlates with the different stage of the orogenesis. Except for the western Okinawa Trough and the southern Taiwan, most of the Taiwan convergent region exhibits a gain of crustal Δ GPE. In contrast, the lithospheric Δ GPE in the Taiwan region exhibits a reverse pattern. For the whole Taiwan region, the earthquake-induced crustal Δ GPE and the lithospheric Δ GPE during the observation period are 1.03×1017 joules and -1.15×1017 joules, respectively. The average rate of the whole Δ GPE in the Taiwan region is very intense and equal to -2.07×1010 watts, corresponding to about one percent of the global Δ GPE loss induced by earthquakes.

  20. Leadership styles and nursing faculty job satisfaction in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Chen, Hsiu-Chin; Beck, Susan L; Amos, Linda K

    2005-01-01

    To examine nursing faculty job satisfaction and their perceptions of nursing deans' and directors' leadership styles, and to explore how the perceptions of leadership styles relate to faculty job satisfaction in Taiwan. Descriptive, correlational, and cross-sectional study with self-administered questionnaires. The sample was recruited from 18 nursing programs, and 286 questionnaires were returned. Faculty perceived that Taiwan's nursing deans and directors showed more transformational than transactional leadership. Taiwan's nursing faculty were moderately satisfied in their jobs, and they were more satisfied with deans or directors who practiced the transactional leadership style of contingent reward and the transformational style of individualized consideration. A style with negative effect was passive management by exception. Three types of leadership behaviors explained significant variance (21.2%) in faculty job satisfaction in Taiwan, indicating the need for further attention to training and development for effective leadership behaviors.

  1. Taiwan Teacher Preparation Program Evaluation: Some Critical Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, Tze-Chang

    2015-01-01

    This paper focuses on the influences and changes of recent Taiwan teacher preparation program evaluation (TTPPE) as one of the national evaluation projects conducted by the Higher Education Evaluation and Accreditation Council of Taiwan. The main concerns are what kind of ideology is transformed through the policy by means of evaluation, and what…

  2. Religiosity and ethical ideology of physicians: a cross-cultural study.

    PubMed

    Malloy, D C; Sevigny, P R; Hadjistavropoulos, T; Bond, K; Fahey McCarthy, E; Murakami, M; Paholpak, S; Shalini, N; Liu, P L; Peng, H

    2014-02-01

    In this study of ethical ideology and religiosity, 1,255 physicians from Canada, China, Ireland, India, Japan and Thailand participated. Forsyth's (1980) Ethical Position Questionnaire and Rohrbaugh and Jessor's (J Pers 43:136-155, 1975) Religiosity Measure were used as the survey instruments. The results demonstrated that physicians from India, Thailand and China reported significantly higher rates of idealism than physicians from Canada and Japan. India, Thailand and China also scored significantly higher than Ireland. Physicians from Japan and India reported significantly higher rates of relativism than physicians from Canada, Ireland, Thailand and China. Physicians from China also reported higher rates of relativism than physicians from Canada, Ireland and Thailand. Overall, religiosity was positively associated with idealism and negatively associated with relativism. This study is the first to explore the differences between ethical ideology and religiosity among physicians in an international setting as well as the relationship between these two constructs. Both religiosity and ethical ideology are extremely generalized, and the extent to which they may impact the actual professional behaviour of physicians is unknown. This paper sets up a point of departure for future research that could investigate the extent to which physicians actually employ their religious and/or ethical orientation to solve ambiguous medical decisions.

  3. Unexpected diversity of sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in tourist caves in Northern Thailand.

    PubMed

    Sukantamala, Jedsada; Sing, Kong-Wah; Jaturas, Narong; Polseela, Raxsina; Wilson, John-James

    2017-11-01

    Certain species of Phlebotomine sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) are vectors of the protozoa which causes leishmaniasis. Sandflies are found breeding in enclosed places like caves. Thailand is a popular tourist destination, including for ecotourism activities like caving, which increases the risk of contact between tourists and sandflies. Surveillance of sandflies is important for monitoring this risk but identification of species based on morphology is challenged by phenotypic plasticity and cryptic diversity. DNA barcodes have been used for the identification of sandflies in Thailand. We collected sandflies using CDC light trap from four tourist caves in Northern Thailand. Female sandflies were provisionally sorted into 13 morphospecies and 19 unidentified specimens. DNA was extracted from the thorax and legs of sandflies and the DNA barcode region of cytochrome c oxidase I mtDNA amplified and sequenced. The specimens were sorted into 22 molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTU) based on the 145 DNA barcodes, which is significantly more than the morphospecies. Several of the taxa thought to be present in multiple caves, based on morphospecies sorting, split into cave-specific MOTU which likely represent cryptic species. Several MOTU reported in an earlier study from Wihan Cave, Thailand, were also found in these caves. This supports the use of DNA barcodes to investigate species diversity of sandflies and their useful role in surveillance of sandflies in Thailand.

  4. Transformation of Taiwan’s Reserve Force

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-01-01

    force roles, missions, and capabilities, based on the requirement to counter People’s Republic of China advan- tages in air and maritime power -projection... people on Taiwan increasingly identify themselves as citizens of a state that is separate and distinct from the PRC. As a result, the Chinese Communist...including short- comings in the PLA’s ability to project power significantly across the Taiwan Strait, technological advantages of Taiwan’s armed

  5. Adolescent health in Asia: insights from Thailand.

    PubMed

    Areemit, Rosawan; Manaboriboon, Boonying

    2016-08-01

    Adolescence in an age of opportunity in Thailand. The main health issues of this age group are related to pregnancy, injuries and poisoning, all which should be preventable. This article presents the experiences of Thai physicians, who received adolescent medicine fellowship training in North America and brought their experience, knowledge, skills, and adolescent health care principles and practice back to Thailand. The anticipations and the facts faced in everyday practice, training, research, and collaboration in a place with their own culture and societal norms are described. Currently, there are six adolescent medicine specialists who work with experienced specialist in the subcommittee of adolescent health under the Royal College of Pediatricians of Thailand. There has been collaboration with both the public sector and health care sector, government and non-government organizations with regards to health care service and promotion. Many hospitals especially residency training institutes have increased the cut-off age of patients to be seen by pediatricians to 15 or 18 years of age. Since 2011, adolescent medicine was made one of the mandatory rotations in all pediatric resident training programs. There is still more work to be done - issues around policies for confidentiality and a lower age of consent, collaboration between other specialties to enable a large-scale youth-friendly one-stop services, and multicenter research opportunities are still awaiting.

  6. Health informatics model for helminthiasis in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Nithikathkul, C; Trevanich, A; Wongsaroj, T; Wongsawad, C; Reungsang, P

    2017-09-01

    At the beginning of the new millennium, helminth infections continue to be prevalent, particularly among impoverished populations. This study attempts to create the first health informatics model of helminthiasis in Thailand. The authors investigate how a health informatics model could be used to predict the control and eradication in a national control campaign. Fish-borne helminthiasis caused by Opisthorchis viverrini remains a major public health problem in many parts of South-East Asia, including Thailand, Lao PDR, Vietnam and Cambodia. The epicentre of this disease is located in north-east Thailand, where high prevalence coexists with a high incidence of cholangiocarcinoma (CHCA). The current report was conducted to determine a mathematical model of surveillance for helminthiasis while also using a geographic information system. The fish-borne helminthiasis model or the predicted equation was Y1 = 3.028 + 0.020 (elevation) - 2.098 (clay). For soil-transmitted helminthiasis, the mathematical model or the predicted equation was Y2 = -1.559 + 0.005 (rainfall) + 0.004 (elevation) - 2.198 (clay). The Ministry of Public Health has concluded that mass treatment for helminthiasis in the Thai population, targeting high-risk individuals, may be a cost-effective way to allocate limited funds. This type of approach, as well as further study on the correlation of clinical symptoms with environmental and geographic information, may offer a novel strategy to the helminth crisis.

  7. A Crowdsourcing-based Taiwan Scientific Earthquake Reporting System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liang, W. T.; Lee, J. C.; Lee, C. F.

    2017-12-01

    To collect immediately field observations for any earthquake-induced ground damages, such as surface fault rupture, landslide, rock fall, liquefaction, and landslide-triggered dam or lake, etc., we are developing an earthquake damage reporting system which particularly relies on school teachers as volunteers after taking a series of training courses organized by this project. This Taiwan Scientific Earthquake Reporting (TSER) system is based on the Ushahidi mapping platform, which has been widely used for crowdsourcing on different purposes. Participants may add an app-like icon for mobile devices to this website at https://ies-tser.iis.sinica.edu.tw. Right after a potential damaging earthquake occurred in the Taiwan area, trained volunteers will be notified/dispatched to the source area to carry out field surveys and to describe the ground damages through this system. If the internet is available, they may also upload some relevant images in the field right away. This collected information will be shared with all public after a quick screen by the on-duty scientists. To prepare for the next strong earthquake, we set up a specific project on TSER for sharing spectacular/remarkable geologic features wherever possible. This is to help volunteers get used to this system and share any teachable material on this platform. This experimental, science-oriented crowdsourcing system was launched early this year. Together with a DYFI-like intensity reporting system, Taiwan Quake-Catcher Network, and some online games and teaching materials, the citizen seismology has been much improved in Taiwan in the last decade. All these constructed products are now either operated or promoted at the Taiwan Earthquake Research Center (TEC). With these newly developed platforms and materials, we are aiming not only to raise the earthquake awareness and preparedness, but also to encourage public participation in earthquake science in Taiwan.

  8. Exploration and development of natural gas, Pattani basin, Gulf of Thailand

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

    Lian, H.M.; Bradley, K.

    The geology of the Gulf of Thailand features a series of north-south-trending ridges and linear, fault-bounded basins with a sedimentary section predominantly of upper Tertiary sediments. The Pattani basin, located near the geographic center of the Gulf of Thailand, contains up to 8 km of almost entirely nonmarine fluvial-deltaic sediments. The gas/condensate fields described in this paper are on the west flank of the Pattani basin. Gas reservoirs are thin, randomly distributed sandstone beds occurring between 1200 and 3000 m below sea level. At greater depths, very high temperatures cause a degradation of reservoir properties. The gas fields occur onmore » intensely faulted structures. The high fault density superimposed on the stratigraphic model limits the size of individual gas accumulations. Extensive three-dimensional seismic surveys were essential for delineating and developing these complex fields. An interactive computer system was used to interpret the 23,000 line-km of three-dimensional data. A new era in Thailand began when gas production commenced from Erawan field in August 1981. Baanpot, Satun, and Platong fields came on production between October 1983 and March 1985. In these four fields, 238 development wells have been drilled from 22 platforms. The wells can presently produce 475 MMCFGD, considerably in excess of Thailand's current requirements. The condensate ratios average 40 bbl/mmcf of gas. The commercial limits of each field have yet to be established. The advent of gas production has created a new industry in Thailand, with significant social and economic benefits to the country.« less

  9. Joint Local/Teleseismic Tomographic Inversion in Taiwan Using TAIGER and Other Data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, E.; Wu, F. T.; Huang, B.; Liang, W.; Wang, C.; Rawlinson, N.; Okaya, D. A.

    2008-12-01

    Taiwan, one of the most active orogenic belts, is at the intersection of two subduction zones. In southern Taiwan, the South China Sea Slab (SCSS), part of Eurasian Plate (EP), subducts beneath the Luzon arc along the Manila trench. In northern Taiwan, the Philippine Sea Plate (PSP) subducts beneath the Ryukyu arc along the Ryukyu trench. The thin skinned model and lithospheric deformation model have been proposed to explain the formation of orogeny. To distinguish between these two geodynamically possible processes, imaging of the deep structures below Taiwan is necessary. In this study, explosion data, local/regional earthquakes and teleseisms are used to invert the velocity structures of Taiwan from surface to about 150 km. Temporary passive broadband (on land and at the ocean bottom), active sources array datasets of the TAIGER (TAiwan Integrated GEodynamics Research) project and permanent array datasets of the BATS (Broadband Array in Taiwan for Seismology) and CWB (Central Weather Bureau) are used in this study. FMTOMO (fast marching tomography) of Rawlinson et al. (2006) is employed to invert the 3D P-wavespeed beneath Taiwan. The derived velocity perturbations dVp (dVp= Vfinal-Vinital) are clearly related to geology and tectonics. At shallow depth (< 10km), dVp >0 under the Central Range (Pre-Tertiary metamorphic rocks) and dVp < 0 under the Foothills (Pliocene sedimentary). Below a depth about 20 km, the placement of the high and low anomalies is reversed, i.e., dVp>0 under the Foothills and dVp<0 under the Central Range; the low velocity core of the Central Ranges extend down to about 50 km, forming the mountain root. A steeply dipping high velocity zone lies under the thickening 'mountain root' in central Taiwan. In southern Taiwan, the high velocity zone dips eastward coinciding with the Benioff Zone. The geometry of the high velocity zones in the upper mantle are key to understanding the Taiwan orogeny.

  10. The first rapid assessment of avoidable blindness (RAAB) in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Isipradit, Saichin; Sirimaharaj, Maytinee; Charukamnoetkanok, Puwat; Thonginnetra, Oraorn; Wongsawad, Warapat; Sathornsumetee, Busaba; Somboonthanakij, Sudawadee; Soomsawasdi, Piriya; Jitawatanarat, Umapond; Taweebanjongsin, Wongsiri; Arayangkoon, Eakkachai; Arame, Punyawee; Kobkoonthon, Chinsuchee; Pangputhipong, Pannet

    2014-01-01

    The majority of vision loss is preventable or treatable. Population surveys are crucial for planning, implementation, and monitoring policies and interventions to eliminate avoidable blindness and visual impairments. This is the first rapid assessment of avoidable blindness (RAAB) study in Thailand. A cross-sectional study of a population in Thailand age 50 years old or over aimed to assess the prevalence and causes of blindness and visual impairments. Using the Thailand National Census 2010 as the sampling frame, a stratified four-stage cluster sampling based on a probability proportional to size was conducted in 176 enumeration areas from 11 provinces. Participants received comprehensive eye examination by ophthalmologists. The age and sex adjusted prevalence of blindness (presenting visual acuity (VA) <20/400), severe visual impairment (VA <20/200 but ≥20/400), and moderate visual impairment (VA <20/70 but ≥20/200) were 0.6% (95% CI: 0.5-0.8), 1.3% (95% CI: 1.0-1.6), 12.6% (95% CI: 10.8-14.5). There was no significant difference among the four regions of Thailand. Cataract was the main cause of vision loss accounted for 69.7% of blindness. Cataract surgical coverage in persons was 95.1% for cut off VA of 20/400. Refractive errors, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and corneal opacities were responsible for 6.0%, 5.1%, 4.0%, and 2.0% of blindness respectively. Thailand is on track to achieve the goal of VISION 2020. However, there is still much room for improvement. Policy refinements and innovative interventions are recommended to alleviate blindness and visual impairments especially regarding the backlog of blinding cataract, management of non-communicative, chronic, age-related eye diseases such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy, prevention of childhood blindness, and establishment of a robust eye health information system.

  11. The First Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) in Thailand

    PubMed Central

    Isipradit, Saichin; Sirimaharaj, Maytinee; Charukamnoetkanok, Puwat; Thonginnetra, Oraorn; Wongsawad, Warapat; Sathornsumetee, Busaba; Somboonthanakij, Sudawadee; Soomsawasdi, Piriya; Jitawatanarat, Umapond; Taweebanjongsin, Wongsiri; Arayangkoon, Eakkachai; Arame, Punyawee; Kobkoonthon, Chinsuchee; Pangputhipong, Pannet

    2014-01-01

    Background The majority of vision loss is preventable or treatable. Population surveys are crucial for planning, implementation, and monitoring policies and interventions to eliminate avoidable blindness and visual impairments. This is the first rapid assessment of avoidable blindness (RAAB) study in Thailand. Methods A cross-sectional study of a population in Thailand age 50 years old or over aimed to assess the prevalence and causes of blindness and visual impairments. Using the Thailand National Census 2010 as the sampling frame, a stratified four-stage cluster sampling based on a probability proportional to size was conducted in 176 enumeration areas from 11 provinces. Participants received comprehensive eye examination by ophthalmologists. Results The age and sex adjusted prevalence of blindness (presenting visual acuity (VA) <20/400), severe visual impairment (VA <20/200 but ≥20/400), and moderate visual impairment (VA <20/70 but ≥20/200) were 0.6% (95% CI: 0.5–0.8), 1.3% (95% CI: 1.0–1.6), 12.6% (95% CI: 10.8–14.5). There was no significant difference among the four regions of Thailand. Cataract was the main cause of vision loss accounted for 69.7% of blindness. Cataract surgical coverage in persons was 95.1% for cut off VA of 20/400. Refractive errors, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and corneal opacities were responsible for 6.0%, 5.1%, 4.0%, and 2.0% of blindness respectively. Conclusion Thailand is on track to achieve the goal of VISION 2020. However, there is still much room for improvement. Policy refinements and innovative interventions are recommended to alleviate blindness and visual impairments especially regarding the backlog of blinding cataract, management of non-communicative, chronic, age-related eye diseases such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy, prevention of childhood blindness, and establishment of a robust eye health information system. PMID:25502762

  12. Country Profiles, Taiwan.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keeny, S. M.; And Others

    A profile of Taiwan is sketched in this paper. Emphasis is placed on the nature, scope, and accomplishments of population activities in the country. Topics and sub-topics include: location and description of the country; population (size, growth patterns, age structure, urban/rural distribution, ethnic and religious composition, migration,…

  13. A dataset from bottom trawl survey around Taiwan

    PubMed Central

    Shao, Kwang-Tsao; Lin, Jack; Wu, Chung-Han; Yeh, Hsin-Ming; Cheng, Tun-Yuan

    2012-01-01

    Abstract Bottom trawl fishery is one of the most important coastal fisheries in Taiwan both in production and economic values. However, its annual production started to decline due to overfishing since the 1980s. Its bycatch problem also damages the fishery resource seriously. Thus, the government banned the bottom fishery within 3 nautical miles along the shoreline in 1989. To evaluate the effectiveness of this policy, a four year survey was conducted from 2000–2003, in the waters around Taiwan and Penghu (Pescadore) Islands, one region each year respectively. All fish specimens collected from trawling were brought back to lab for identification, individual number count and body weight measurement. These raw data have been integrated and established in Taiwan Fish Database (http://fishdb.sinica.edu.tw). They have also been published through TaiBIF (http://taibif.tw), FishBase and GBIF (website see below). This dataset contains 631 fish species and 3,529 records, making it the most complete demersal fish fauna and their temporal and spatial distributional data on the soft marine habitat in Taiwan. PMID:22707908

  14. 75 FR 73033 - Circular Welded Carbon Steel Pipes and Tubes from Thailand: Amended Final Results of Antidumping...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-11-29

    ... Pipes and Tubes from Thailand: Amended Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review AGENCY... Thailand, covering the period March 1, 2008 through February 28, 2009. The final results were subsequently... Circular Welded Carbon Steel Pipes and Tubes From Thailand: Final Results of Antidumping Duty...

  15. Genetic diversity of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) in Thailand during 2009-2015.

    PubMed

    Thangthamniyom, Nattarat; Sangthong, Pradit; Poolperm, Pariwat; Thanantong, Narut; Boonsoongnern, Alongkot; Hansoongnern, Payuda; Semkum, Ploypailin; Petcharat, Nantawan; Lekcharoensuk, Porntippa

    2017-09-01

    Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), the essential cause of porcine circovirus associated disease (PCVAD), has evolved rapidly and it has been reported worldwide. However, genetic information of PCV2 in Thailand has not been available since 2011. Herein, we studied occurrence and genetic diversity of PCV2 in Thailand and their relationships to the global PCV2 based on ORF2 sequences. The results showed that 306 samples (44.09%) from 56 farms (80%) were PCV2 positive by PCR. Phylogenetic trees constructed by both neighbor-joining and Bayesian Inference yielded similar topology of the ORF2 sequences. Thai PCV2 comprise four clusters: PCV2a (5.5%), PCV2b (29.41%), intermediate clade 1 (IM1) PCV2b (11.03%) and PCV2d (54.41%). Genetic shift of PCV2 in Thailand has occurred similarly to the global situation. The shift from PCV2b to PCV2d was clearly observed during 2013-2014. The viruses with genetically similar to the first reported PCV2 in 2004 have still circulated in Thailand. The first Thai PCV2b and PCV2d were closely related to the neighboring countries. The haplotype network analysis revealed the relationship of PCV2 in Thailand and other countries. These results indicate that genetic diversity of PCV2 in Thailand is caused by genetic drift of the local strains and intermittent introduction of new strains or genotypes from other countries. Genetic evolution of PCV2 in Thailand is similar to that occurs globally. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. [An outline medical history of Taiwan (I): the period of folklore medicine and witch doctor].

    PubMed

    Li, C

    1997-01-01

    The paper makes a correlated analysis on the origin of health folklore between Chinese in mainland and Taiwan island. After quoting literatures written by authors living in the Qing dynasty in Taiwan, this paper analyses health condition among aboriginals of Taiwan during the witchcraft age. Along with the increasing immigration from China mainland to Taiwan island, health of folklore and gods from China mainland were introduced into Taiwan, hence the period of witch doctor in Taiwan, featuring the correlation of both. Though modern medicine in Taiwan is so advanced, yet there are still witch doctors elsewhere.

  17. A synthesized biophysical and social vulnerability assessment for Taiwan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Yung-Jaan

    2017-11-01

    Taiwan, located in the Western Pacific, is a country that is one of the most vulnerable to disasters that are associated with the changing climate; it is located within the Ring of Fire, which is the most geologically active region in the world. The environmental and geological conditions in Taiwan are sensitive and vulnerable to such disasters. Owing to increasing urbanization in Taiwan, floods and climate-related disasters have taken an increasing toll on human lives. As global warming accelerates the rising of sea levels and increasing of the frequency of extreme weather events, disasters will continue to affect socioeconomic development and human conditions. Under such circumstances, researchers and policymakers alike must recognize the importance of providing useful knowledge concerning vulnerability, disaster recovery and resilience. Strategies for reducing vulnerability and climate-related disaster risks and for increasing resilience involve preparedness, mitigation and adaptation. In the last two decades, extreme climate events have caused severe flash floods, debris flows, landslides, and other disasters and have had negative effects of many sectors, including agriculture, infrastructure and health. Since climate change is expected to have a continued impact on socio-economic development, this work develops a vulnerability assessment framework that integrates both biophysical and social vulnerability and supports synthesized vulnerability analyses to identify vulnerable areas in Taiwan. Owing to its geographical, geological and climatic features, Taiwan is susceptible to earthquakes, typhoons, droughts and various induced disasters. Therefore, Taiwan has the urgent task of establishing a framework for assessing vulnerability as a planning and policy tool that can be used to identify not only the regions that require special attention but also hotspots in which efforts should be made to reduce vulnerability and the risk of climate-related disaster. To

  18. [Current situation of the standardization of acupuncture and moxibustion in Taiwan].

    PubMed

    Pan, Li-Jia; Cui, Rui; Zhan, Bi-Yu; Liao, Cai-Yan; Cao, Qi-Hua; Li, Gui-Lan; Guo, Yi

    2012-09-01

    The current situation of the standardization of acupuncture and moxibustion in the Taiwan region is introduced in this paper from the three aspects, named the development state of standard of acupuncture and moxibustion in Taiwan, the implementation of Taiwan district standard and the standardization of acupuncture and moxibustion in Taiwan. At present, the relevant standards of acupuncture and moxibustion in Taiwan just include the standard operation procedure of acupuncture and moxibustion, the reference guideline of the safe operation in the medical service centers of traditional Chinese medicine, and the faculty standard of Chinese medicine hospital, etc. It is concluded that the current situation of the standardization of acupuncture and moxibusiton presented the weak awareness of the standardization of acupuncture and moxibustion in the industry, insufficient enterprise standard, less-quantity of the implemented standards and narrow coverage.

  19. Evaluating the feasibility of underground coal gasification in Thailand

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

    Young, B.C.; Harju, J.A.; Schmit, C.R.

    Underground coal gasification (UCG) is a clean coal technology that converts in situ coal into a low- to medium-grade product gas without the added expense of mining and reclamation. Potential candidates for UCG are those coal resources that are not economically recoverable or that are otherwise unacceptable for conventional coal utilization processes. The Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC), through the sponsorship of the US Trade and Development Agency and in collaboration with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), is undertaking a feasibility study for the application of UCG in the Krabi coal mining area, 620 miles south ofmore » Bangkok in Thailand. The EERC`s objective for this project is to determine the technical, environmental, and economic feasibility of demonstrating and commercializing UCG at a selected site in the Krabi coal mining area. This paper addresses the preliminary developments and ongoing strategy for evaluating the selected UCG site. The technical, environmental, and economic factors for successful UCG operation are discussed, as well as the strategic issues pertaining to future energy expansion in southern Thailand.« less

  20. Seasonal Patterns of Japanese Encephalitis and Associated Meteorological Factors in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Lin, Che-Liang; Chang, Hsiao-Ling; Lin, Chuan-Yao; Chen, Kow-Tong

    2017-10-29

    The persistent transmission of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in Taiwan necessitates exploring the risk factors of occurrence of Japanese encephalitis (JE). The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between meteorological factors and the incidence of JE in Taiwan. We collected data for cases of JE reported to the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) from 2000 to 2014. Meteorological data were obtained from the Taiwan Central Weather Bureau. The relationships between weather variability and the incidence of JE in Taiwan were determined via Poisson regression analysis and a case-crossover methodology. During the 15-year study period, a total of 379 cases of JE were reported. The incidence of JE showed significant seasonality, with the majority of cases occurring in summertime (for oscillation, p < 0.001). The number of JE cases started to increase at temperatures of 22 °C (r² = 0.88, p < 0.001). Similarly, the number of JE cases began to increase at a relative humidity of 70-74% (r² = 0.75, p < 0.005). The number of JE cases was positively associated with mean temperature and relative humidity in the period preceding the infection. In conclusion, the occurrence of JE is significantly associated with increasing temperature and relative humidity in Taiwan. Therefore, these factors could be regarded as warning signals indicating the need to implement preventive measures.

  1. Health professional-patient communication practices in East Asia: An integrative review of an emerging field of research and practice in Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Mainland China.

    PubMed

    Pun, Jack K H; Chan, E Angela; Wang, Sophie; Slade, Diana

    2018-07-01

    To provide an integrative review of literature on health communication in East Asia and detail culturally-specific influences. Using PRISMA model, search of PubMed, PsychInfo, Web of Knowledge, ERIC and CINAHL databases were conducted for studies between January 2000 and March 2017, using the terms 'clinician/health professional-patient', 'nurse/doctor-patient, 'communication' and 'Asia'. 38 studies were included: Mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. The existing body of research on clinician patient communication in East Asia can be classified: 1) understanding the roles and expectations of the nurse, clinician, patient, and family in clinician-patient consultations: a) nurse-patient communication; b) doctor-patient communication; c) the role of family member; and 2) factors affecting quality of care: d) cultural attitudes towards death and terminal illnesses; e) communication preferences affecting trust, decision-making and patient satisfaction; f) the extent to which patient centred care is being implemented in practice; and g) communication practices in multilingual/multi-disciplinary environments. The review detailed the complexity and heterogeneity of clinician-patient communication across East Asia. The studies reviewed indicate that research in East Asia is starting to move beyond a preference for Western-based communication practices. There is a need to consider local culture in understanding and interpreting medical encounters in East Asia. The paper highlights the need for a specific culturally-appropriate model of health communication in East Asia which may significantly improve relationships between clinicians and patients. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Life-long battle: Perceptions of type 2 diabetes in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Suparee, Nitima; McGee, Paula; Khan, Salim; Pinyopasakul, Wanpen

    2015-03-01

    The number of people in Thailand who have Type 2 diabetes has increased dramatically making it one of the country's major health problems. The rising prevalence of diabetes in Thailand is associated with dietary changes, reduced physical activity and health education. Although there is much research about health education programmes, the most effective methods for promoting sustainability and adherence to self-management among diabetics remains unclear. To examine the perceptions of participants in Thailand regarding Type 2 diabetes and to utilize the findings to formulate a model for patient education. A grounded theory approach was selected and semi-structured face to face interviews and focus group were used to gather data from 33 adults with Type 2 diabetes. Five explanatory categories emerged from the data: causing lifelong stress and worry, finding their own ways, after a while, still cannot and wanting a normal life. A new approach to patient education about Type 2 diabetes in Thailand is needed to give patients a better understanding, provide recommendations that they can apply to their daily lives, and include information about alternative medication. The Buddhist way of thinking and effective strategies enhancing self-efficacy should be applied to patient education to promote sustainability and adherence to self-management. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

  3. Groundwater-derived nutrient inputs to the Upper Gulf of Thailand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Burnett, William C.; Wattayakorn, Gullaya; Taniguchi, Makoto; Dulaiova, Henrieta; Sojisuporn, Pramot; Rungsupa, Sompop; Ishitobi, Tomotoshi

    2007-01-01

    We report here the first direct measurements of nutrient fluxes via groundwater discharge into the Upper Gulf of Thailand. Nutrient and standard oceanographic surveys were conducted during the wet and dry seasons along the Chao Phraya River, Estuary and out into the Upper Gulf of Thailand. Additional measurements in selected near-shore regions of the Gulf included manual and automatic seepage meter deployments, as well as nutrient evaluations of seepage and coastal waters. The river transects characterized the distribution of biogeochemical parameters in this highly contaminated urban environment. Seepage flux measurements together with nutrient analyses of seepage fluids were used to estimate nutrient fluxes via groundwater pathways for comparison to riverine fluxes. Our findings show that disseminated seepage of nutrient-rich mostly saline groundwater into the Upper Gulf of Thailand is significant. Estimated fluxes of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) supplied via groundwater discharge were 40-50% of that delivered by the Chao Phraya River, inorganic phosphate was 60-70%, and silica was 15-40%. Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and phosphorus (DOP) groundwater fluxes were also high at 30-40% and 30-130% of the river inputs, respectively. These observations are especially impressive since the comparison is being made to the river that is the largest source of fresh water into the Gulf of Thailand and flows directly through the megacity of Bangkok with high nutrient loadings from industrial and domestic sources.

  4. Wintertime sea surface temperature fronts in the Taiwan Strait

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chang, Yi; Shimada, Teruhisa; Lee, Ming-An; Lu, Hsueh-Jung; Sakaida, Futoki; Kawamura, Hiroshi

    2006-12-01

    We present wintertime variations and distributions of sea surface temperature (SST) fronts in the Taiwan Strait by applying an entropy-based edge detection method to 10-year (1996-2005) satellite SST images with grid size of 0.01°. From climatological monthly mean maps of SST gradient magnitude in winter, we identify four significant SST fronts in the Taiwan Strait. The Mainland China Coastal Front is a long frontal band along the 50-m isobath near the Chinese coast. The sharp Peng-Chang Front appears along the Peng-Hu Channel and extends northward around the Chang-Yuen Ridge. The Taiwan Bank Front evolves in early winter. As the winter progresses, the front becomes broad and moves toward the Chinese coast, connecting to the Mainland China Coastal Front. The Kuroshio Front extends northeastward from the northeastern tip of Taiwan with a semicircle-shape curving along the 100-m isobath.

  5. 78 FR 65272 - Circular Welded Carbon Steel Pipes and Tubes From Thailand: Final Results of Antidumping Duty...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-10-31

    ... Pipes and Tubes From Thailand: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2011-2012 AGENCY... and tubes from Thailand. This review covers two producers and/or exporters of the subject merchandise... duty order on circular welded carbon steel pipes and tubes from Thailand.\\1\\ We invited interested...

  6. 78 FR 57619 - Prestressed Concrete Steel Rail Tie Wire From Mexico, Thailand, and the People's Republic of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-09-19

    ...] Prestressed Concrete Steel Rail Tie Wire From Mexico, Thailand, and the People's Republic of China... prestressed concrete steel rail tie wire from Mexico, Thailand, and the People's Republic of China. See Prestressed Concrete Steel Rail Tie Wire From Mexico, the People's Republic of China, and Thailand: Initiation...

  7. Comparative Study on Waterborne Parasites between Malaysia and Thailand: A New Insight

    PubMed Central

    Kumar, Thulasi; Onichandran, Subashini; Lim, Yvonne A. L.; Sawangjaroen, Nongyao; Ithoi, Init; Andiappan, Hemah; Salibay, Cristina C.; Dungca, Julieta Z.; Chye, Tan Tian; Sulaiman, Wan Y. W.; Ling Lau, Yee; Nissapatorn, Veeranoot

    2014-01-01

    This study investigated the distribution of parasites as main contaminants in water environments of peninsular Malaysia (October 2011–December 2011) and the southeastern coast of Thailand (June 2012). Sixty-four water samples, 33 from Malaysia and 31 from Thailand, of various water types were examined according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines. Drinking or household water types from both countries were free from parasitic contamination. The recreational/environmental (except a swimming pool in Malaysia) and effluent water types from these two countries were contaminated with waterborne parasites: Giardia (0.04–4 cysts/L), Cryptosporidium (0.06–2.33 oocysts/L), hookworm (6.67–350 ova/L), Ascaris (0.33–33.33 ova/L), and Schistosoma (9.25–13.33 ova/L). The most contaminated sites were recreational lake garden 3 in Malaysia and river 2 in Thailand. Higher concentrations of Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and hookworm were found in samples from Malaysia than in samples from Thailand. The presence of Giardia cysts showed a significant association with the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts (P < 0.005). PMID:24567315

  8. Find an Audiologist

    MedlinePlus

    ... Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo ... Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Republic of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand Togo Tokelau ...

  9. The Ticks (Acari: Ixodida: Argasidae, Ixodidae) of Taiwan: A Synonymic Checklist

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-01-01

    Lyme disease in Taiwan" Primary isolation of Borrelia burgdor- idae). Acarina 10:95-136. Wilson...the recent emergence of Lyme borreliosis and human babesiosis in Taiwan (Shih and Chao 1998, 1999; Shih et al. 1997, 1998), it is imperative that these...the Ixodes kuntzi Hoogstraal & Kohls, principal vector of Lyme borreliosis in 1965.35 Taiwan collections in USNTC. northeastern Asia and is

  10. Girls' and Women's Education in Thailand.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Principal Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.

    Statistically, Thailand has eliminated gender disparity in access to education. Reasons that four women's conferences made very little impression on education reform could be no significant or overt discrimination against girls' enrollment and employment; education opportunity as more an issue of class (affordability) than gender (culture); and…

  11. 75 FR 64696 - Circular Welded Carbon Steel Pipes and Tubes From Thailand: Final Results of Antidumping Duty...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-20

    ... Pipes and Tubes From Thailand: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review AGENCY: Import... Thailand. The review was requested by Allied Tube and Conduit Corporation (Allied Tube), by Wheatland Tube... antidumping duty order on pipes and tubes from Thailand. See Circular Welded Carbon Steel Pipes and Tubes from...

  12. 76 FR 27987 - Circular Welded Carbon Steel Pipes and Tubes From Thailand: Amended Final Results of Antidumping...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-05-13

    ... Pipes and Tubes From Thailand: Amended Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review Pursuant... tubes from Thailand, which covered Saha Thai Steel Pipe (Public) Co., Ltd. (Saha Thai) and the period March 1, 2006, through February 28, 2007. See Circular Welded Carbon Steel Pipes and Tubes from Thailand...

  13. 78 FR 69817 - Polyethylene Retail Carrier Bags From Thailand: Final Court Decision and Amended Final Results of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-11-21

    ... Bags From Thailand: Final Court Decision and Amended Final Results of Administrative Review of the... Thailand produced or exported by King Pac Industrial Co., Ltd. (King Pac) and Master Packaging Co., Ltd... administrative review of the antidumping duty order on PRCBs from Thailand covering the POR, in accordance with...

  14. 76 FR 66893 - Certain Circular Welded Carbon Steel Pipes and Tubes From India, Thailand, and Turkey; Final...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-10-28

    ...] Certain Circular Welded Carbon Steel Pipes and Tubes From India, Thailand, and Turkey; Final Results of... circular welded carbon steel pipes and tubes from India, Thailand, and Turkey, pursuant to section 751(c..., Thailand, and Turkey. See Antidumping Duty Order; Certain Welded Carbon Steel Standard Pipes and Tubes from...

  15. 78 FR 72628 - Polyethylene Retail Carrier Bags From Thailand: Notice of Court Decision Not in Harmony With...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-12-03

    ... from Thailand on November 3, 2011.\\3\\ Both Thai Plastic Bags Industries Co., Ltd. and Polyethylene.../exporter margin (percent) Thai Plastic Bags Industries Company 35.79 Landblue (Thailand) Co., Ltd 25.60 In... Bags From Thailand: Notice of Court Decision Not in Harmony With Final Results of Administrative Review...

  16. Salmonella Serovars from Humans and Other Sources in Thailand, 1993–2002

    PubMed Central

    Bangtrakulnonth, Aroon; Pornreongwong, Srirat; Pulsrikarn, Chaiwat; Sawanpanyalert, Pathom; Hendriksen, Rene S.; Wong, Danilo M. A. Lo Fo

    2004-01-01

    We serotyped 44,087 Salmonella isolates from humans and 26,148 from other sources from 1993 through 2002. The most common serovar causing human salmonellosis in Thailand was Salmonella enterica Weltevreden. Serovars causing human infections in Thailand differ from those in other countries and seem to be related to Salmonella serovars in different food products and reservoirs. PMID:15078609

  17. Off to a good start: A comparative study of changes in men's first job prospects in East Asia

    PubMed Central

    Yu, Wei-hsin; Chiu, Chi-Tsun

    2015-01-01

    Research on young adults’ transition to the labor market rarely investigates how nation-level institutional arrangements shape changes over time. In particular, a systematic comparison of shifts in young adults’ job opportunities in East Asia is virtually absent. Using comparable data from Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, we examine cohort differences in the timing, quality, and stability of men's first jobs. The results indicate overall declines in first occupational attainment for men in all three countries, but the main driving force for the decrease in Japan differs from that in Korea and Taiwan. Whereas macroeconomic pressure fully explains the decline in Japanese men's first occupational attainment, educational expansion accounts for a considerable part of the declines for men in Korea and Taiwan. Moreover, educational expansion has eroded better-educated men's advantages in speedily transitioning from school to work in Taiwan, but it has not had a similar effect on Japanese men. We argue that Japan's employment system, coupled with a fair amount of institutional ties between schools and firms, has shielded young men from the pressure of educational expansion, making the trends about their early-career outcomes different from those of their counterparts in Korea and Taiwan. The different degrees to which firm internal labor markets have been adopted in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan also explain how increasing macroeconomic pressure has different impacts on men's first job stability in East Asia. PMID:25999637

  18. New Lithospheric Model of Taiwan based on the Receiver Function Method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, H.; Zhu, L.; Chen, H.

    2008-12-01

    Taiwan is situated on the junction area between two subduction systems. The complex orogeny was developed by collision between the Eurasian continental plate and Philippine Sea plate and is still active in the present. Therefore, Taiwan provides unique opportunities for geophysical imaging of the ongoing process underneath. The TAiwan Integrated GEodynamics Research (TAIGER) combined a field program of active and passive seismology, which will undoubtedly be a major step forward in understanding mountain building process. In 2006, we developed a new crustal model of Taiwan from teleseismic waveforms by the receiver function method. We determined lateral variation of Moho discontinuity, crustal thickness (H), and Vp/Vs ratios (Kappa) for each permanent broadband station using all the available teleseismic data collected by BATS (Broadband Array in Taiwan for Seismology) and CWB (Central Weather Bureau). All the broadband stations are distributed uniformly over the whole Taiwan area so that we could delineate the Moho depth contour map. Recently, we concentrated on the three linear temporary arrays of the TAIGER project and obtained three high-resolution images of crustal structure across Taiwan along west-to-east direction from north to south by using the CCP (common-conversion-point) stacking of teleseismic P-to-S converted waves. Sharp impedance contrasts in these images clearly show the relief of each of seismic discontinuities in the crust and upper mantle. The preliminary results show that the Moho depth, 40 to 50 km of central Taiwan is deeper than in other parts of the island, which suggests crustal thickening due to collision. In addition, shallow part of western foothill area show highly acoustic impedance which probably results from thick sediment.

  19. Epidemiological Features of Japanese Encephalitis in Taiwan from 2000 to 2014

    PubMed Central

    Chang, Yu-Kang; Chang, Hsiao-Ling; Wu, Ho-Sheng; Chen, Kow-Tong

    2017-01-01

    The incidence of Japanese encephalitis (JE) decreased sharply after the national vaccination program was implemented in Taiwan in 1968. However, cases of JE still occur. The purpose of this study was to assess the epidemiology and vaccination policy for JE in Taiwan. We analyzed the data on JE cases reported to the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) between 2000 and 2014. During the 15-year study period, a total of 4,474 cases were reported to the Taiwan CDC. Of these, 379 (8.5%) were classified as confirmed cases, and 4,095 (91.5%) were classified as suspected cases. The incidence of JE ranged from 0.59 to 1.61 per 1,000,000 people and peaked in 2007. Men had a higher incidence of JE than women (1.37 versus 0.84 per 1,000,000; P = 0.03). Patients who were 40–59 years of age had a higher incidence than did patients younger than 20 years (1.82 versus 0.23; P < 0.001). Patients who lived in the eastern region of Taiwan had the highest incidence rate of JE (P < 0.001). Compared with those who were not vaccinated with the JE vaccine, patients who received four doses of JE vaccine had a lower risk of suffering from death and/or hospitalization (adjusted odds ratio: 0.26; 95% confidence interval: 0.08–0.90; P = 0.04). JE is still a public health problem in Taiwan, and monitoring JE via diagnostic testing to determine the best vaccination program along with enforcing JE vaccine boosters for adults is necessary to eliminate JE in Taiwan. PMID:27821699

  20. Epidemiological Features of Japanese Encephalitis in Taiwan from 2000 to 2014.

    PubMed

    Chang, Yu-Kang; Chang, Hsiao-Ling; Wu, Ho-Sheng; Chen, Kow-Tong

    2017-02-08

    The incidence of Japanese encephalitis (JE) decreased sharply after the national vaccination program was implemented in Taiwan in 1968. However, cases of JE still occur. The purpose of this study was to assess the epidemiology and vaccination policy for JE in Taiwan. We analyzed the data on JE cases reported to the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) between 2000 and 2014. During the 15-year study period, a total of 4,474 cases were reported to the Taiwan CDC. Of these, 379 (8.5%) were classified as confirmed cases, and 4,095 (91.5%) were classified as suspected cases. The incidence of JE ranged from 0.59 to 1.61 per 1,000,000 people and peaked in 2007. Men had a higher incidence of JE than women (1.37 versus 0.84 per 1,000,000; P = 0.03). Patients who were 40-59 years of age had a higher incidence than did patients younger than 20 years (1.82 versus 0.23; P < 0.001). Patients who lived in the eastern region of Taiwan had the highest incidence rate of JE ( P < 0.001). Compared with those who were not vaccinated with the JE vaccine, patients who received four doses of JE vaccine had a lower risk of suffering from death and/or hospitalization (adjusted odds ratio: 0.26; 95% confidence interval: 0.08-0.90; P = 0.04). JE is still a public health problem in Taiwan, and monitoring JE via diagnostic testing to determine the best vaccination program along with enforcing JE vaccine boosters for adults is necessary to eliminate JE in Taiwan. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.