Sample records for philippines singapore south

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

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-12-01

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

  2. Workshop on the Development of Education and Information Materials on Family Health (Family Planning, Maternal and Child Health, Nutrition). (Manila, Philippines, 8 to 22 February 1972). Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    1972

    Health and communications experts from Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and South Vietnam met in Manila for two weeks of workshop sessions to discuss communication strategies and to develop educational materials for the promotion of family health. The overall aim of the workshop was to encourage the production of educational…

  3. The Philippines, the East Asian "Developmental States" and Education: A Comparative Analysis of Why the Philippines Failed to Develop

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maca, Mark; Morris, Paul

    2012-01-01

    After WWII, the economic prospects of the Philippines, then the second-largest economy in Asia, were viewed positively, but by the mid-1970s it had become Asia's developmental puzzle for its failure to sustain economic growth. In contrast during the same period, regional neighbours, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore, achieved previously…

  4. A population-based study of fish allergy in the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

    PubMed

    Connett, Gary James; Gerez, Irvin; Cabrera-Morales, Elizabeth Ann; Yuenyongviwat, Araya; Ngamphaiboon, Jarungchit; Chatchatee, Pantipa; Sangsupawanich, Pasuree; Soh, Shu-E; Yap, Gaik-Chin; Shek, Lynette Pei-Chi; Lee, Bee-Wah

    2012-01-01

    Fish allergy is the third most common food allergy after milk and egg in parts of Europe, but there is little data about prevalence in South East Asia where it is an important part of regular diets. We aimed to obtain an estimate of the population prevalence of fish allergy among older children in the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. The population prevalence of fish allergy in 14- to 16-year-old children in the 3 countries was evaluated using a structured written questionnaire which was distributed to students of randomly selected secondary schools. An extended questionnaire to determine convincing fish allergy on the basis of typical clinical manifestations within 2 h of ingestion was administered to those with positive responses. From a cohort of 25,842 students, responses were 81.1% in the Philippines (n = 11,434), 67.9% in Singapore (n = 6,498) and 80.2% (n = 2,034) in Thailand. Using criteria for convincing food allergy, fish allergy was much higher in the Philippines [2.29%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.02-2.56] than in Singapore (0.26%, 95% CI 0.14-0.79) and Thailand (0.29%, 95% CI 0.06-0.52). Weighted multiple logistic regression analyses showed that compared to the Philippines, prevalence rates were lower in Singapore [odds ratio (OR) 0.40, 95% CI 0.27-0.60, p < 0.0001] and Thailand (OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.05-0.33, p < 0.0001). Females were more likely to have fish allergy compared to males for all children combined (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.11-1.58, p = 0.002). Most allergies appeared mild, as only 28% of cases sought medical consultation at the time of the reaction and 31.2% of cases reported continued exposure despite allergic symptoms. Fish allergy in late childhood is more common in the Philippines compared to Singapore and Thailand. Differences in food processing, dietary habits and other cultural practices might be important risk factors for the development of fish allergy in these populations. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  5. Overseas Educational Developments, 1981: Mexico, South America, Southeast Asia. A World Higher Education Communique Special Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Institute of International Education, New York, NY.

    Educational developments in Mexico, South America, and Southeast Asia are covered in five seminar papers. In addition, country educational profiles are presented on Mexico, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia. In "International Students from Southeast Asia," John F. Brohm considers the following…

  6. Higher Education and Development in South-East Asia. Volume II, Country Profiles.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hayden, Howard; And Others

    This document, the second of three volumes concerned with the role of institutions of higher education in the development of countries in South-East Asia, presents country profiles for Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Viet-Nam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The profile emphasizes background, higher education, educational…

  7. Higher Education and Development in South-East Asia. Volume I, Director's Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hayden, Howard

    This document reports a study of the role of institutions of higher education in the development of countries in South-East Asia covering Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet-Nam. Emphasis is placed on the geographical, historical and social background; patterns of education within the region;…

  8. A Tale of Two Countries: Comparing Civic Education in the Philippines and Singapore

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baildon, Mark; Sim, Jasmine B.-Y.; Paculdar, Agnes

    2016-01-01

    This article provides a comparative analysis of citizenship education in the Philippines and Singapore. Through an analysis of historical contexts, citizenship education policy and curriculum, it examines "Makabayan" in the Philippines and "National Education" in Singapore. It identifies particular policy and curriculum…

  9. Social policy and population growth in South-East Asia.

    PubMed

    You Poh Seng Rao, B; Shantakumar, G

    1974-01-01

    Social and population policies are considered for the 10 countries comprising Southeast Asia--Burma, Indonesia, the Khmer Republic, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, North Vietnam, and South Vietnam. All but Singapore have high fertility rates and Burma, Indonesia, the Khmer Republic, Laos and the two Vietnams have high mortality rates also. Government expenditures for education and social security systems is expanding throughout the region and it is hoped that their continued growth will contribute substantially to the effective implementation of population policies. Population policies in the 5 countries which have them are discussed. These are Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. It is noted, however, that declaration of policy is but the first step. Strategies and programs differ from one country to the next and depend very much on the stage of development, level of literacy, degree of urbanization, and other factors. Family planning activities generally are endogenous to urban social systems but exogenous to rural social systems. Thus, the rural elite has a large role to play in making population policies an integral part of rural life. The possibility is considered of developing workable incentive packages integrating health, education, and social security benefits with suitable emphasis on fertility reduction.

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

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-06-01

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

  11. Asia: The Global Telecom Dynamo.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McClelland, Stephen; Weiss, Edward; Sujarto, P. J.; Nakorn, Pria; Kim, B. A.; Chan, Lily; Bromby, Robin

    1997-01-01

    In a 1995 study, Moody's Investors Research found that companies and governments in the Pacific Rim would require $363 billion for essential telecom infrastructure by the end of the decade. Examines the state of communications in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand.…

  12. 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…

  13. Research and Development Centres for Science Education in the South East Asian and Australasian Region.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dekkers, John; Treagust, David F.

    1983-01-01

    Provides the status (as of February 1982) of institutions active in curriculum development and/or science education research in Australia, Fiji, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Paupau New Guinea, Philippines, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Solomon Islands, and Thailand. Includes institutional title/address and name of contact person. (JN)

  14. 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

  15. Chinese Dialects in Southeast Asia. Working Papers in Linguistics, Vol. 7 No. 4.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leok Har Chan

    This paper discusses the dialects of the Chinese people who have settled in various countries of Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Burma, Thailand, Laos, North and South Vietnam, and the Khmer Republic. Data are first given regarding the area in general. The data are then broken down according to individual…

  16. Disciplinary Boundaries and Climate Change Education: Teachers' Conceptions of Climate Change Education in the Philippines and Singapore

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ho, Li-Ching; Seow, Tricia

    2017-01-01

    This qualitative study examines how climate change scientific knowledge is framed and positioned within the Singapore and Philippines school curricula in relation to broader citizenship concepts and ideas. The findings reveal that climate change is taught in very different ways within both education systems. The Singapore case demonstrates the…

  17. Review of Doctoral Research in English Language Education in the Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia (2007-2010)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rubdy, Rani; Tupas, T. Ruanni F.; Villareal, Corazon D.; David, Maya Khemlani; Dumanig, Francisco Perlas

    2012-01-01

    This review highlights recent doctoral research in English language education and related areas completed between 2007 and 2010 in three countries in Southeast Asia: Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines. Out of sixty dissertations initially chosen from major universities in these countries, five from the Philippines, four from Malaysia and…

  18. Monomia calla, a new species of swimming crab (Decapoda, Portunidae)
    from Madagascar and the Philippines.

    PubMed

    Koch, Milan; Nguyen, Thanh Son; Ďuriš, Zdeněk

    2015-07-06

    A new species of portunid crab (Brachyura: Portunidae) from southern Madagascar and central Philippines is described. Monomia calla sp. nov. is most similar in morphology to M. lecromi (Moosa, 1996) from the Chesterfield Islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, and M. rubromarginata (Lanchester, 1900) from the South China Sea, Singapore, Malay Archipelago and the northern half of Australia. The new species can be easily distinguished from all congeners by the distinctive morphology of the male first gonopod. The number of species of the Indo-West Pacific genus Monomia now stands at 12.

  19. Regional variation in the prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing clinical isolates in the Asia-Pacific region (SENTRY 1998-2002).

    PubMed

    Hirakata, Yoichi; Matsuda, Junichi; Miyazaki, Yoshitsugu; Kamihira, Shimeru; Kawakami, Sayoko; Miyazawa, Yukihisa; Ono, Yasuo; Nakazaki, Nobuhiko; Hirata, Yasuyoshi; Inoue, Matsuhisa; Turnidge, John D; Bell, Jan M; Jones, Ronald N; Kohno, Shigeru

    2005-08-01

    We examined the prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella oxytoca, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Citrobacter koseri, and Salmonella spp. that were isolated as part of the SENTRY Asia-Pacific Surveillance Program between 1998 and 2002. During the study period, a total of 6,388 strains were gathered from 17 medical centers in 7 countries and examined for ESBL production and hyperproduction of K. oxytoca chromosomal K1 beta-lactamase enzyme. High rates of confirmed ESBL-producing isolates were found in K. pneumoniae strains from Singapore (35.6%), followed by those from mainland China (30.7%), South Africa (28.1%), and the Philippines (21.9%), whereas the rates were less than 10% in Japan and Australia. ESBL-producing E. coli strains were also prominent in mainland China (24.5%), Hong Kong (14.3%), and Singapore (11.3%). ESBL-producing K. oxytoca were common in the Philippines (38.5%), Singapore (33.3%), and China (30.0%). Hyperproduction of K. oxytoca chromosomal K1 beta-lactamase enzyme was common in Australia and Japan. P. mirabilis strains from Singapore produced ESBL (17.9%) despite the low prevalence (0-8.1%) in other countries. Few ESBL-producing C. koseri and Salmonella spp. strains were found in Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and South Africa. Although there was variation among countries in substrate preference, ceftazidime was more likely to detect presumptive ESBL phenotype in K. pneumoniae and aztreonam more likely in E. coli, whereas ceftriaxone was the best substrate for the confirmation of ESBL production. ESBL-producing strains showed high levels of co-resistance to aminoglycosides, tetracycline, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and ciprofloxacin. Imipenem retained activity against all ESBL-producing strains. Organisms expressing ESBLs are widely distributed in the Asia-Pacific region, although prevalence rates vary significantly.

  20. Securing Nuclear Materials: The 2010 Summit and Issues for Congress

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-04-27

    Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Switzerland, South Africa...Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey , United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, and Vietnam. White House Press Briefing, April 6, 2010. 8 “ The ...Non-Aligned Movement, where skepticism of the nuclear terrorism threat runs highest. In addition, the Russian Federation said it would be helping the

  1. South China Sea disputes: ASEAN’s Role in Addressing Disputes with China

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-12-13

    Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. The main aims of the organization were to strengthen cooperation in the economic , social, cultural , technical...community is comprised of three pillars, namely the ASEAN Political-Security Community, ASEAN Economic Community and ASEAN Socio- Cultural Community...Declaration, ASEAN would focus on accelerating the economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region, and promoting regional peace

  2. Digital SPC Switching Technology--Foreign Technology Assessment

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-12-01

    India C DOT MAX C DOT DSS 0 TDX 1 Samsung , Goldstar Korea TDX 10 Daewoo, Otelco (ROK) System X Plessey/GEC U.K. (Siemens) Fetex 150 Fujitsu Japan HDX...x South Korea Alcatel ATT Malaysia Ericsson NEC New Zealand NEC Philippines DAEWOO Siemens Singapore Fujitsu (AU-, NEC Gateway Switches) Taiwan...Yes Israel Northern Telecom DMS 10 Telrad Yes OMS 100 * Malaysia Ericsson AXE Pewira Ericsson Future SDN BHD Mexico Alcatel System 12 Indetel No

  3. Oil as a Weapon of the 21st Century: Energy Security and the U.S. Pivot to Asia-Pacific

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-03-01

    11 Compared to hydrocarbons, nuclear power offers a carbon-free power generation source, but carries the risk of radiological contamination . With...South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia , Singapore, Australia, Bangladesh, and Burma.88,89 Enhancing...engagement between the countries comprising CTF 151 has resulted in several documented instances where Canadian and British forces gave food and water

  4. Social Sciences in Asia III: Burma, Mongolia, New Zealand, The Philippines, Singapore. Reports and Papers in the Social Sciences, No. 35.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Paris (France).

    Part of a series which provides overviews of social science research and teaching in UNESCO member nations, the document focuses on Burma, Mongolia, New Zealand, Philippines, and Singapore. One chapter is devoted to each of the five nations. For each country, the following information is presented: history of social science activity, institutional…

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. Reflections on a decade of research by ASEAN dental faculties: analysis of publications from ISI-WOS databases from 2000 to 2009.

    PubMed

    Sirisinha, Stitaya; Koontongkaew, Sittichai; Phantumvanit, Prathip; Wittayawuttikul, Ruchareka

    2011-05-01

    This communication analyzed research publications in dentistry in the Institute of Scientific Information Web of Science databases of 10 dental faculties in the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) from 2000 to 2009. The term used for the "all-document types" search was "Faculty of Dentistry/College of Dentistry." Abstracts presented at regional meetings were also included in the analysis. The Times Higher Education System QS World University Rankings showed that universities in the region fare poorly in world university rankings. Only the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University appeared in the top 100 in 2009; 19 universities in the region, including Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, appeared in the top 500. Data from the databases showed that research publications by dental institutes in the region fall short of their Asian counterparts. Singapore and Thailand are the most active in dental research of the ASEAN countries. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  8. Occupational safety and health management among five ASEAN countries: Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Singapore.

    PubMed

    Buranatrevedh, Surasak

    2015-03-01

    Occupational safety and health is one of important issues for workforce movement among ASEAN countries. The objective was to study laws, main agencies, and law enforcement regarding occupational safety and health in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Singapore. This documentary research covered laws, main agencies' duties, and occupational safety and health law enforcement in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Singapore. Thailand has its Occupational Safety, Health, and Work EnvironmentAct 2011. Its main agency was Department of Labor Protection and Welfare. Indonesia had WorkSafety Act (Law No. 1, 1970). Its main agency was Department of Manpower and Transmigration. Malaysia had Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) 1994. Its main agency is the Department of Occupational Safety and Health. The Philippines has its Occupational Safety and Health Standards. Its main agency was Department ofLabor and Employment. Singapore has its Workplace Safety and Health Act 2006. Its main agency is Occupational Safety and Health Division. Occupational safety and health law enforcement among each county covers work environment surveillance, workers' health surveillance, advice about prevention and control of occupational health hazards, training and education of employers and employees, data systems, and research. Further in-depth surveys of occupational safety and health among each ASEAN county are needed to develop frameworks for occupational safety and health management for all ASEAN countries.

  9. 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

  10. Survey of clinical practice for irritable bowel syndrome in East asian countries.

    PubMed

    Fukudo, Shin; Hahm, Ki-Baik; Zhu, Qi; Sollano, Jose D; Rani, Abdul A; Syam, Ari F; Kachintorn, Udom; Suzuki, Hidekazu; Kamiya, Takeshi; Joh, Takashi; Uchiyama, Kazuhiko; Naito, Yuji; Takahashi, Shin'ichi; Kinoshita, Yoshikazu; Ueno, Fumiaki; Yamagami, Hirokazu; Chan, Francis K L; Fock, Kwong M; Arakawa, Tetsuo

    2015-01-01

    Sociocultural factors are important because their different effects on the features of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) between countries will provide clues towards solving this problem. The aims of this study were to depict the clinical realities of IBS in East Asian countries and test the hypothesis that the diagnosis and treatment of IBS differ between countries. Study participants were 251 physicians involved in the clinical practice of IBS at major institutions in Japan, South Korea, China, the Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore. The questionnaire contained 45 questions focused on the clinical practice of IBS. Subjects in Japan, South Korea, China, Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore accounted for 55.4, 17.9, 8.8, 8.0, 6.4 and 3.6% of the study cohort, respectively. Amongst East Asian physicians, the most important symptom was considered to be abdominal pain by 33.4%, whilst 24.3% regarded alternating diarrhea and constipation to be the most important symptoms. Total colonoscopy and histopathology use showed no difference among countries. Prescriptions given for mild (p < 0.0001), moderate (p < 0.0001), severe (p < 0.0001), intractable (p = 0.002), diarrheal (p < 0.0001) and constipating (p < 0.0001) patients with IBS significantly differed between the countries. Except for several minor points, IBS specialists showed no significant difference in their diagnosis and treatment of IBS when compared to nonspecialists. This survey provided data on the clinical treatment of IBS among East Asian countries. The results supported the hypothesis that the diagnosis and treatment of IBS differs between countries. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  11. An Asian viewpoint on the use of vitamin D and calcium in osteoporosis treatment: Physician and patient attitudes and beliefs

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background Osteoporosis treatment guidelines recommend calcium and vitamin D supplementation for both prevention as well as treatment, however, compliance with these guidelines is often unsatisfactory. This study investigated the opinion of Asian physicians and Asian patients regarding vitamin D and calcium and patients' use of both. Methods Physicians selected from Malaysia, Taiwan, Philippines, Korea and Singapore were asked to grade the significance of vitamin D and calcium in the treatment of osteoporosis and their patients' use of these supplements. In addition, physicians recruited seven eligible osteoporotic women to answer a questionnaire to determine their use of vitamin D and calcium, and their attitudes and beliefs regarding these supplements. Results In total, 237 physicians and 1463 osteoporosis patients completed the questionnaire. The results revealed that 22% of physicians in Malaysia, 12% in Taiwan, 72% in the Philippines, 50% in Korea and 24% in Singapore rated the importance of vitamin D supplementation as being extremely important. For calcium, 27% of physicians in Malaysia, 30% in Taiwan, 80% in the Philippines, 50% in Korea and 38% in Singapore rated the importance as being extremely important. Forty-three percent of patients in Malaysia, 38% in Taiwan, 73% in the Philippines, 35% in Korea and 39% in Singapore rated the importance of vitamin D as being extremely important. For calcium, 69% of patients in Malaysia, 58% in Taiwan, 90% in the Philippines, 70% in Korea and 55% in Singapore rated the importance as being extremely important. In addition, results of the patient questionnaire revealed that only a very small number regularly took both supplements. In addition, the results indicated that, with the exception of patients from the Philippines, the majority of patients had no or infrequent discussion with their physician about vitamin D and calcium. Conclusions There is generally suboptimal appreciation by both physicians and patients of the importance of vitamin D and calcium for maintenance of bone health as reflected in the low number of patients who reported regularly taking these supplements. Recognition of this problem should translate to appropriate action to improve education for both physicians and patients, with a goal to increase use of these supplements among Asian patients with osteoporosis. PMID:20977729

  12. Hormone replacement therapy in the developing countries.

    PubMed

    Oei, P L; Ratnam, S S

    1998-05-01

    The sales data of oestrogen replacement products for 8 developing countries from 1993 to 1995 were analyzed. The data from Malaysia, Pakistan, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and South Korea showed the increasing use of oestrogen replacement products. The total usage however varied widely, from only US$11,153 (Philippines in 1993) to as much as US$6,306,717 (Taiwan in 1995). In Singapore, where oestrogen replacement is an accepted and established form of therapy for the postmenopausal woman, there has been an increase in the usage of the nonoestrogen replacement products. There are multiple reasons for the increasing sales of hormone replacement products in the developing countries and these are explored in this article. In some of the developing countries, for example China and India, hormone replacement therapy has just been introduced. However, in those developing countries in which hormone replacement therapy is already available, sales figures show increasing usage. The future augurs well for hormone replacement therapy.

  13. ASEAN’s (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Neighborhood,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1986-01-01

    together to form Malaysia . In the Philippines. President Diosdado Macapagal claimed that one of Malaysia’s new states, Sabah, formerly British North Borneo...was by tradition and treaty actually Philippine territory; and from Indonesia, Sukarno attacked Malaysia as a neo-imperialist concoction and launched...Foreign Minister, Adam Malik, joined senior officials from Thailand, Malaysia , the Philippines and Singapore (which had separated from Malaysia in 1965

  14. Estimation of lung cancer burden in Australia, the Philippines, and Singapore: an evaluation of disability adjusted life years.

    PubMed

    Morampudi, Suman; Das, Neha; Gowda, Arun; Patil, Anand

    2017-02-01

    Lung cancer is one of the leading cancers and major causes of cancer mortality worldwide. The economic burden associated with the high mortality of lung cancer is high, which accounts for nearly $180 billion on a global scale in 2008. This paper aims to understand the economic burden of lung cancer in terms of disability adjusted life years (DALY) in Australia, the Philippines, and Singapore. The years of life lost (YLL) and years lost due to disability (YLD) were calculated using the formula developed by Murray and Lopez in 1996 as part of a comprehensive assessment of mortality and disability for diseases, injuries and risk factors in 1990 and projected to 2020. The same formula is represented in the Global Burden of Disease template provided by the World Health Organization. Appropriate assumptions were made when data were unavailable and projections were performed using regression analysis to obtain data for 2015. The total DALYs due to lung cancer in Australia, the Philippines, and Singapore were 91,695, 38,584, and 12,435, respectively, and the corresponding DALY rates per a population of 1,000 were 4.0, 0.4, and 2.2, respectively, with a discount rate of 3%. When researchers calculated DALYs without the discount rate, the burden of disease increased substantially; the DALYs were 117,438 in Australia, 50,977 in the Philippines, and 16,379 in Singapore. Overall, YLL or premature death accounted for more than 95% of DALYs in these countries. Strategies for prevention, early diagnosis, and prompt treatment must be devised for diseases where the major burden is due to mortality.

  15. Estimation of lung cancer burden in Australia, the Philippines, and Singapore: an evaluation of disability adjusted life years

    PubMed Central

    Morampudi, Suman; Das, Neha; Gowda, Arun; Patil, Anand

    2017-01-01

    Objective: Lung cancer is one of the leading cancers and major causes of cancer mortality worldwide. The economic burden associated with the high mortality of lung cancer is high, which accounts for nearly $180 billion on a global scale in 2008. This paper aims to understand the economic burden of lung cancer in terms of disability adjusted life years (DALY) in Australia, the Philippines, and Singapore. Methods: The years of life lost (YLL) and years lost due to disability (YLD) were calculated using the formula developed by Murray and Lopez in 1996 as part of a comprehensive assessment of mortality and disability for diseases, injuries and risk factors in 1990 and projected to 2020. The same formula is represented in the Global Burden of Disease template provided by the World Health Organization. Appropriate assumptions were made when data were unavailable and projections were performed using regression analysis to obtain data for 2015. Results: The total DALYs due to lung cancer in Australia, the Philippines, and Singapore were 91,695, 38,584, and 12,435, respectively, and the corresponding DALY rates per a population of 1,000 were 4.0, 0.4, and 2.2, respectively, with a discount rate of 3%. When researchers calculated DALYs without the discount rate, the burden of disease increased substantially; the DALYs were 117,438 in Australia, 50,977 in the Philippines, and 16,379 in Singapore. Overall, YLL or premature death accounted for more than 95% of DALYs in these countries. Conclusions: Strategies for prevention, early diagnosis, and prompt treatment must be devised for diseases where the major burden is due to mortality. PMID:28443206

  16. Family planning as public policy.

    PubMed

    1976-08-01

    The inclusion of constitutional provisions and laws regarding family planning and the creation of the Population Commission in the Philippines are examples of the growing recognition in many developing countries that proper and humane control of population growth is a key factor in economic progress. Similar provisions have recently appeared in Thailand, Mexico, and the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. Awareness of the need for adequate public education to ensure the success of family planning programs has resulted in the formation of commissions for that purpose in Australia, Belgium, Chile, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Guatemala, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, and Sri Lanka. Voluntary sterilization is gradually gaining support. 3 South Asian nations (Pakistan, Singapore, and New Zealand) were among 12 to liberalize laws in 1974 and 1975. However, the prevailing opinion is that a massive public education program will have to be waged before acceptance becomes widespread in the region. Singapore's sterilization law can be used as a guideline for other nations in the area contemplating policy changes.

  17. New Bases for Old: An Unusual View of the Philippine Bases Problem.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1984-12-01

    in the Philippine Islands? They nestle in a country with which we have had (relatively) good relations for almost a century, where the people really...34"- / " ’ -" rr ’- - MALAYSIA . omn, I ’V v.9 s - -, - -300 Figure 1. The Philippines, Geographical Setting 14 -’.’,’?’v:? :9::,:’i’.".i i...be imported. Some sites in Indonesia, Malaysia , Singapore, and Taiwan don’t have the same problems as the small islands, but they pose political

  18. 48 CFR 52.219-1 - Small Business Program Representations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

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

  19. Treatment of Seborrhoeic Dermatitis in Asia: A Consensus Guide

    PubMed Central

    Cheong, Wai Kwong; Yeung, Chi Keung; Torsekar, Raghunandan Govind; Suh, Dae Hun; Ungpakorn, Rataporn; Widaty, Sandra; Azizan, Noor Zalmy; Gabriel, Maria Teresita; Tran, Hau Khang; Chong, Wei Sheng; Shih, I-Hsin; Dall'Oglio, Federica; Micali, Giuseppe

    2016-01-01

    Seborrhoeic dermatitis (SD) is common in Asia. Its prevalence is estimated to be 1-5% in adults. However, larger population-based studies into the epidemiology of SD in Asia are lacking, and the aetiology of SD may differ widely from Western countries and in different parts of Asia. In addition, clinically significant differences between Asian and Caucasian skin have been reported. There is a need to define standardized clinical diagnostic criteria and/or a grading system to help determine appropriate treatments for SD within Asia. With this in mind, experts from India, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Italy convened to define the landscape of SD in Asia at a meeting held in Singapore. The consensus group developed a comprehensive algorithm to aid clinicians to recommend appropriate treatment of SD in both adults and children. In most cases, satisfactory therapeutic results can be accomplished with topical antifungal agents or topical corticosteroids. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents with antifungal properties have been shown to be a viable option for both acute and maintenance therapy. PMID:27386464

  20. Tobacco control and gender in south-east Asia. Part II: Singapore and Vietnam.

    PubMed

    Morrow, Martha; Barraclough, Simon

    2003-12-01

    In the World Health Organization's Western Pacific Region, being born male is the single greatest risk marker for tobacco use. While the literature demonstrates that risks associated with tobacco use may vary according to sex, gender refers to the socially determined roles and responsibilities of men and women, who initiate, continue and quit using tobacco for complex and often different reasons. Cigarette advertising frequently appeals to gender roles. Yet tobacco control policy tends to be gender-blind. Using a broad, gender-sensitivity framework, this contradiction is explored in four Western Pacific countries. Part I of the study presented the rationale, methodology and design of the study, discussed issues surrounding gender and tobacco, and analysed developments in Malaysia and the Philippines (see the previous issue of this journal). Part II deals with Singapore and Vietnam. In all four countries gender was salient for the initiation and maintenance of smoking. Yet, with a few exceptions, gender was largely unrecognized in control policy. Suggestions for overcoming this weakness in order to enhance tobacco control are made.

  1. Separation or Unification for Taiwan: An Economic Comparison.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1996-09-01

    Table 11-9. Average Size of Taiwan’s FDI in SE Asia (Cumulative through 1993) Host Country $M per Project Indonesia 13.50 Vietnam 13.09 Malaysia ...leaders. By April 1996, Taiwan had signed investment protection agreements with Indonesia, Malaysia , the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam and...and Surabaya, Indonesia; Penang, Malaysia ; Laos; and Subic Bay, the Philippines. See Chen Hurng-yu (1994), 128. The first stage of the Subic Bay

  2. Maritime Terrorism and the Small Boat Threat to the United States: A Proposed Response

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-03-01

    vessel chokepoints,43 and in 2004, the Abu Sayyaf terror group in the Philippines placed a bomb on a passenger ferry that ultimately resulted in...AWW program,61 which encourages boaters 58 Christopher McDaniel & Matthew Tardy , “Role-Based...Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines , has become a hotbed of maritime piracy and terrorism. It is the region most prone to acts of piracy, accounting

  3. Iran Sanctions

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-12-14

    Industries Organization (AIO) (Iran); Korea Mining and Development Corp. ( N . Korea). October 21, 2007 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC...Tankers (Singapore); Siqiriya Maritime (Philippines); Ferland Company Limited (previously designated under other E.O.); Vitaly Sokolenko (general

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

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-06-01

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

  5. China’s Economic Conditions

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-06-27

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

  6. China’s Economic Conditions

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-03-11

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

  7. Emergence in Asian Countries of Staphylococcus aureus with Reduced Susceptibility to Vancomycin

    PubMed Central

    Song, Jae-Hoon; Hiramatsu, Keiichi; Suh, Ji Yoeun; Ko, Kwan Soo; Ito, Teruyo; Kapi, Maria; Kiem, Sungmin; Kim, Yeon-Sook; Oh, Won Sup; Peck, Kyong Ran; Lee, Nam Yong

    2004-01-01

    To investigate the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus with reduced susceptibility to vancomycin among methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains in Asian countries, a total of 1,357 clinical isolates of MRSA collected from 12 Asian countries were screened by using brain heart infusion agar plates containing 4 mg of vancomycin per liter. The presence of strains that were heterointermediately resistant to vancomycin (hVISA) was confirmed by population analysis. Of 347 (25.6%) MRSA isolates that grew on the screening agar plates, 58 isolates (4.3%) were hVISA. hVISA strains were found in India, South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. However, neither vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus nor vancomycin-resistant S. aureus isolates were found among MRSA isolates from Asian countries in this survey. PMID:15561884

  8. A study of work injuries in eight Asian countries.

    PubMed

    Ong, C N; Phoon, W O; Tan, T C; Jeyaratnam, J; Cho, S C; Suma'mur, P K; Mahathevan, R; Reverente, B R; Wongphanich, W; Kogi, K

    1984-04-01

    This study is based on a survey conducted in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand on occupational injuries during the years 1975-1980. The number of work accidents have risen rapidly during this period in all of the 8 countries studied. In the case of Thailand, the total number of work injuries increased four fold from 1975-1978, whereas, in Singapore it has almost doubled in 6 years. The number of permanent disablement nearly trebled in Korea, and the Philippines for the year 1967-1980. The largest percentage of accidents are lost-time injuries in all of the 8 countries. Thailand had a three fold increase in lost-time injuries whilst in Hong Kong the figure doubled. Six out of the 8 countries indicated that the building construction industry had the largest number of fatal accidents, followed by the manufacturing industry.

  9. Pacific Armies Management Seminar (5th) Held at Manila, Republic of the Philippines on 16-20 November 1981. Addendum.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1981-01-01

    8217 Malaysian Army 21 "Training Management in the Singapore COL Ha, MAJ Yong, and Armed Forces" MAJ Tan Singapore Armed Forces 27 "Army Unit Training" COL...nation. This will permit continued develop- ment of all sectors under conditions of stability and peace and will ensure our continued security from any...Military Occupational Specialty Training (MOS) in units. b. ASOPS exercises general staff supervision over: -a7T other individual training in units

  10. American Society of Hand Therapists

    MedlinePlus

    ... Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the ... Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the ...

  11. The Air Commander in the Solomon Islands Campaign: Unrivaled Unity of Effort in Joint Air Operations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-06-01

    aircraft, and people in the Pacific, keeping the Allies on the defensive throughout Asia and the Pacific. Singapore and the Philippines ... Philippines and Australia during the course of the war.16 Each of these commanders fell under the direct oversight of the American Joint Chiefs of Staff...Miller, The War in the Pacific, 81-85. August 11 revealing his newfound but tardy understanding of the problem: “This island warfare is a tough

  12. Economic Education in Malaysia: A Brief Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rao, C. A.

    1978-01-01

    This report provides a brief description of economic education in Malaysia and indicates interest, on the part of various Asian countries, i.e., Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines, in the establishment of economic education programs. (Editor/RK)

  13. ASEAN.

    PubMed

    1986-04-01

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

  14. Volcanic ash: a potential hazard for aviation in Southeast Asia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Whelley, P. L.; Newhall, C. G.

    2012-12-01

    There are more than 400 volcanoes in Southeast Asia. Ash from eruptions of Volcanic Explosivity Index 3 (VEI 3) and larger pose local hazards and eruptions of VEI 4 or greater could disrupt trade, travel, and daily life in large parts of the region. To better manage and understand the risk volcanic ash poses to Southeast Asia, this study quantifies the long-term probability of a large eruption sending ash into the Singapore Flight Information Region (FIR), which is a 1,700 km long, quasi-rectangular zone from the Strait of Malacca to the South China Sea. Southeast Asian volcanoes are classified into 6 groups, using satellite data, by their morphology, and where known, their eruptive history. 'Laguna' type are fields of maars, cinder cones and spatter cones, named for the Laguna Volcanic Field, Philippines (13.204, 123.525). 'Kembar' type are broad, gently sloping shield volcanoes with extensive lava flows (Kembar Volcano, Indonesia: 3.850, 097.664). 'Mayon' type volcanoes are open-vent, frequently active, steep sided stratocones with small summit craters, spatter ramparts, small pyroclastic fans (typically < 3 km but up to 5 km) and lava flows (Mayon Volcano, Philippines: 13.257, 123.685). 'Kelut' type are semi-plugged composite cones with dome complexes, pyroclastic fans, and/or debris avalanche deposits (Kelut Volcano, Indonesia: -7.933, 112.308). 'Pinatubo' type are large plugged stratovolcanoes with extensive (tens of km) pyroclastic fans and large summit craters or calderas up to 5 km in diameter (Pinatubo Volcano, Philippines: 15.133, 120.350). 'Toba' type are calderas with long axes > 5 km and surrounded by ignimbrite sheets (Toba Caldera, Indonesia: 02.583, 098.833). In addition silicic dome complexes that might eventually produce large caldera-forming eruptions are also classified as Toba type. The eruptive histories of most volcanoes in Southeast Asia are poorly constrained. Assuming that volcanoes with similar morphologies have had similar eruption histories, we use eruption histories of well-studied examples of each morphologic category as proxy histories for all volcanoes in the class. Results from this work will be used to model volcanic ash contamination scenarios for the Singapore FIR.

  15. School Physics Education in Southeast Asia.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seng, Chin Pin; Tee, Tan Boon

    1978-01-01

    Traces physics curriculum innovation in Southeast Asia since the 1950s. The unique features of such innovation in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand are highlighted. Forecasts for the future of physics education in part of the world are also discussed. (Author/HM)

  16. Current Research in Southeast Asia.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beh, Yolanda

    1991-01-01

    Summaries of seven language-related research projects are presented from Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Topics include a lexicon of Kelabit, cognitive theory for second-language acquisition, academic writing in Filipino, cultural politics of English instruction, use of conjunctions, and communicative grammar. (LB)

  17. China’s Economic Conditions

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-09-16

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

  18. Southeast Asia's import demand for skim milk powder: Implications for US exporters.

    PubMed

    Davis, C G; Cessna, J G; Blayney, D P

    2018-05-01

    Dairy industries in Southeast Asia are small and produce less than the domestic market demands. As expenditure and population grow in Southeast Asia, it is expected that the expenditures on skim milk powder (SMP) will grow. In this study, we examined the competitiveness of US SMP in the Southeast Asian market with respect to other leading dairy exporters, including the European Union (EU-28), New Zealand, and Australia. Using monthly data from 2006 to 2015, Rotterdam models were used to estimate import demands for SMP in 4 Southeast Asian countries. In a scenario using annual averages from 2013 to 2015 as a baseline, our findings suggest that a 10% reduction in the US price of SMP would cause Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines SMP imports from the United States to increase by 3.96, 0.44, 2.68, and 1.94 kt, respectively. Under the same scenario, the value of US SMP imports would decrease for Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines by $4.12, $2.93, and $2.48 million, respectively; however, the value of US SMP to Singapore would increase by $0.20 million. Singapore and Indonesia expenditures for the US SMP are elastic, which means that as expenditure and population in Southeast Asia continue to grow, a 1% increase in SMP expenditure in Singapore and Indonesia would result in 1.25 and 1.20% increases in US SMP exports. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kripalani, R. H.; Kulkarni, Ashwini

    1997-09-01

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

  20. Gender's Effects to the Early Symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease in 5 Asian Countries.

    PubMed

    Yang, Yuan-Han; Meguro, Kenichi; Dominguez, Jacqueline; Chen, Christopher Li-Hsian; Wang, Huali; Ong, Paulus Anam

    2017-06-01

    Asia has the greatest population and more patients with dementia in the world. Early recognition of clinical symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is crucial for dementia care. In order to foster collaboration in AD care, a uniformed manner to report the early clinical symptoms of AD is necessary. We have recruited clinically diagnosed patients with AD at their very mild stage with Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) 0.5 in Taiwan, Japan, China, Philippines, and Singapore. Demographic characteristics and psychometrics including Ascertain of Dementia-8 (AD8) questionnaire were administrated to collect and report the clinical presentation in these countries. In total, 713 clinically diagnosed patients with AD at very mild stage, CDR 0.5, have been recruited from these 5 countries. "Repeats questions, stories, or statements" were consistently the frequently reported symptom across these countries. Taiwan, China, and Singapore have the higher AD8 total score compared to that in Japan and Philippines. Japan and Philippines have the gender-related differences in clinical presentation of early AD. Difficulties in using small trouble appliance and in handling complicated financial affairs were frequently reported in Japan female, compared to male, patients with AD. Identifying the clinical symptom of AD and the gender-related issues would be crucial in the dementia care in Asia.

  1. US Policy on the South China Sea: Should the US Make Adjustments Following the Permanent Court of Arbitration Ruling

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-10-26

    Government of the Philippines, and international community, a diplomatic tool to counter Chinese encroachment in the Philippines exclusive economic zone and...Philippines, and international community, a diplomatic tool to counter Chinese encroachment in the Philippines exclusive economic zone and more...nations within their exclusive economic zones (EEZs). 1 Bill Hayton, The South China Sea (New Haven

  2. Preventing Escalation in the South China Sea Disputed Waters: A Comparative Study of Republic of the Philippines and Socialist Republic of Vietnam

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-03-01

    among claimants’ civilian and military maritime forces in the South China Sea, and there are few studies of how the lack of civil-military cooperation...ESCALATION IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA DISPUTED WATERS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES AND SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM by Askari...SOUTH CHINA SEA DISPUTED WATERS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES AND SOCIALIST REPUBUC OF VIETNAM 6. AUTHOR(S) Askari 7

  3. Drug Abuse in Southeast Asia.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scorzelli, James F.

    This report examines the incidence of drug abuse and the methods of treatment and prevention of drug abuse used in Southeast Asia. Countries studied include Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Because of Malaysia's intensive effort to eliminate its drug abuse problem, emphasis is placed on this country's treatment and…

  4. Measuring the Comprehensibility of Englishes within ASEAN among Aseans

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilang, Jeffrey Dawala; Teo, Adisa

    2012-01-01

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

  5. The Education and Training of Entrepreneurs in Asia.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dana, Leo Paul

    2001-01-01

    Provides a survey of education and training of entrepreneurs in different contexts across Asia--India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore. Concludes that there are vast differences in definitions and approaches to entrepreneurship and that vocational education and training must be adapted to each context. (Contains 41 references.)…

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

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-03-01

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

  7. Southeast Asia: A Selected Functional and Country Bibliography.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Foreign Service (Dept. of State), Washington, DC. Foreign Service Inst.

    This bibliography, which contains approximately 500 citations dated between 1952 and 1972, is one of a series on various areas of the world. Countries included in this bibliography on Southeast Asia are: Australia, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia and Singapore, New Zealand, the Philippines, Thailand, Viet-Nam, Western Samoa and the…

  8. Diabetes mellitus prevalence is increasing in South Asians but is stable in Chinese living in Singapore and Mauritius.

    PubMed

    Tan, Kristin H X; Barr, Elizabeth L M; Koshkina, Vira; Ma, Stefan; Kowlessur, Sudhir; Magliano, Dianna J; Söderberg, Stefan; Chia, Kee Seng; Zimmet, Paul; Lim, Wei-Yen

    2017-09-01

    Asia is experiencing a type 2 diabetes epidemic, but prevalence differs by ethnicity and level of socioeconomic development. Singapore and Mauritius have implemented comprehensive campaigns to address this public health problem. We compared diabetes and obesity prevalence trends among Chinese and South Asians living in Singapore and Mauritius to determine the contribution of ethnicity and economic development to diabetes. Age-specific data from serial national population-based surveys in Singapore and Mauritius between 1987 and 2010 were used to estimate age-standardized diabetes and obesity prevalence. Modified Breslow-Cox proportional hazard models were used to obtain rate ratios for diabetes risk factors. In Singapore, the age-standardized prevalence of diabetes remained stable for Chinese (men: 14% in 1992, 13% in 2010; women: 12% in 1992, 10% in 2010), but increases were observed for South Asians (men: 20% in 1992, 26% in 2010; women: 18% in 1992, 20% in 2010). There were similar patterns in Mauritius. In both countries, obesity prevalence trends were stable for Chinese women, but increased for Chinese men and South Asians. Associations between obesity and diabetes were stronger in Chinese than South Asians regardless of country. Despite different socioeconomic settings in Singapore and Mauritius, we observed rising diabetes prevalence among South Asians but stable prevalence in Chinese in both countries. This provides further evidence that ethnicity contributes to the development of diabetes, and that there should be an increased emphasis on future prevention strategies targeting South Asian populations in these countries. © 2016 Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

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

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-05-13

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

  10. Government Information and Information about Governments in Southeast Asia: A New Era? An Overview.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    See, Ch'ng Kim

    This paper on Southeast Asian government information and official publications (GIOPs) begins with a general overview of new ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) members (Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, and Vietnam) as well as founding members (Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore). Information technology (IT)…

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yeow-fei, Jaffe Yee

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

  12. Generic Pronouns and Gender-Inclusive Language Reform in the English of Singapore and the Philippines

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pauwels, Anne; Winter, Joanne

    2004-01-01

    The concurrent trends of globalisation and "indigenisation" affecting the English language (varieties) around the world pose some interesting questions for language planning and reform issues (e.g. Phillipson, 1992; Pennycook, 1994; Crystal, 1997). With this project we examine the impact of these competing trends on "corpus…

  13. Demographic development in ASEAN: a comparative overview.

    PubMed

    Herrin, A N; Pardoko, H; Lim, L L; Hongladorom, C

    1981-01-01

    A comparative overview of recent demographic developments in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region is presented. Countries discussed include Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Separate consideration is given to mortality; fertility; and migration, spatial distribution, and employment. A final section is concerned with emerging issues and directions for population policy.

  14. A Survey of Library Services to Children and Young Adults in Selected Developing Countries in Africa and Asia.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Craver, Kathleen W.

    1985-01-01

    Review of developments in children and young adult library services since 1979 discusses three factors that complicate methods used to combat illiteracy problem: population growth, language, and undeveloped readership. Countries studied are Libya, Kenya, Tanzania, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Nigeria, Gambia, Thailand, Singapore, Philippines,…

  15. Defining "Native Speaker" in Multilingual Settings: English as a Native Language in Asia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hansen Edwards, Jette G.

    2017-01-01

    The current study examines how and why speakers of English from multilingual contexts in Asia are identifying as native speakers of English. Eighteen participants from different contexts in Asia, including Singapore, Malaysia, India, Taiwan, and The Philippines, who self-identified as native speakers of English participated in hour-long interviews…

  16. Workshop of the Experimental Project on Programmed Instruction in Asia. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Paris (France).

    The present situation and future trends of programed learning in Ceylon, Republic of China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Republic of Viet-Nam are described by the Workshop participants. Some of the unique features of programed learning are examined with respect to the…

  17. An international comparison of women's health issues in the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Canada, Hong Kong, and Singapore: the CIDA-SEAGEP Study.

    PubMed

    Choi, Bernard C K

    2004-11-19

    This was an international study of women's health issues, based on an Official Study Tour in Southeast Asia (the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Singapore) and Canada. The objectives of the study were to identify and compare current gaps in surveillance, research, and programs and policies, and to predict trends of women's health issues in developing countries based on the experience of developed countries. Key informant interviews (senior government officials, university researchers, and local experts), self-administered questionnaires, courtesy calls, and literature searches were used to collect data. The participating countries identified women's health as an important issue, especially for reproductive health (developing countries) and senior's health (developed countries). Cancer, lack of physical activity, high blood pressure, diabetes, poverty, social support, caring role for family, and informing, educating, and empowering people about women's health issues were the main concerns. Based on this study, 17 recommendations were made on surveillance, research, and programs and policies. A number of forthcoming changes in women''s health patterns in developing countries were also predicted.

  18. GPS determined eastward Sundaland motion with respect to Eurasia confirmed by earthquakes slip vectors at Sunda and Philippine trenches

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chamot-Rooke, N.; Le Pichon, X.

    1999-12-01

    GPS measurements acquired over Southeast Asia in 1994 and 1996 in the framework of the GEODYSSEA program revealed that a large piece of continental lithosphere comprising the Indochina Peninsula, Sunda shelf and part of Indonesia behaves as a rigid `Sundaland' platelet. A direct adjustment of velocity vectors obtained in a Eurasian frame of reference shows that Sundaland block is rotating clockwise with respect to Eurasia around a pole of rotation located south of Australia. We present here an additional check of Sundaland motion that uses earthquakes slip vectors at Sunda and Philippine trenches. Seven sites of the GEODYSSEA network are close to the trenches and not separated from them by large active faults (two at Sumatra Trench, three at Java Trench and two at the Philippine Trench). The difference between the vector at the station and the adjacent subducting plate vector defines the relative subduction motion and should thus be aligned with the subduction earthquake slip vectors. We first derive a frame-free solution that minimizes the upper plate (or Sundaland) motion. When corrected for Australia-Eurasia and Philippines-Eurasia NUVEL1-A motion, the misfit between GPS and slip vectors azimuths is significant at 95% confidence, indicating that the upper plate does not belong to Eurasia. We then examine the range of solutions compatible with the slip vectors azimuths and conclude that the minimum velocity of Sundaland is a uniform 7-10 mm/a eastward velocity. However, introducing the additional constraint of the fit of the GEODYSSEA sites with the Australian IGS reference ones, or tie with the NTUS Singapore station, leads to a much narrower range of solutions. We conclude that Sundaland has an eastward velocity of about 10 mm/a on its southern boundary increasing to 16-18 mm/a on its northern boundary.

  19. Development of Selective Lamellar Keratoplasty within an Asian Corneal Transplant Program: The Singapore Corneal Transplant Study (An American Ophthalmological Society Thesis)

    PubMed Central

    Tan, Donald; Ang, Marcus; Arundhati, Anshu; Khor, Wei-Boon

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: To evaluate outcomes of anterior lamellar keratoplasty (ALK) and endothelial keratoplasty (EK) within the Singapore Corneal Transplant Study (SCTS), with the hypothesis that both ALK and EK are able to provide equivalent or improved clinical outcomes, compared to penetrating keratoplasty (PK), and to determine changing trends globally with other international databases. Methods: Clinical data on all transplants performed was derived from our SCTS database, a prospective national keratoplasty registry, and clinical outcomes (graft survival, endothelial cell loss, complications, visual acuity) were compared between PK, ALK, and EK. Global trends on indications and forms of keratoplasty performed in 2011/2012 were obtained from national keratoplasty or eye banking registries, corneal/ophthalmological societies, national eye banks, and national ophthalmic institutions. Results: Global rates of EK surgery vary widely, from 52% (Sweden) to 0% (South Africa), with higher adoption by industrialized countries. ALK adoption rates similarly vary from 28.7% (China) to 1.0% (Philippines). SCTS data show high adoption rates in Singapore: EK 44% and ALK 28%. Our surgical modifications to big-bubble deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) surgery resulted in visual outcomes matching PK, and a low conversion to PK of 2.1%, whereas our evolving approaches to donor insertion in Descemet’s stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) show significant reduction in 1-year postoperative endothelial cell loss rates from 60% (folding), to 22% to 30% (Sheets Glide), to 15% (EndoGlide inserter). Conclusion: Improvements in various forms of ALK and EK surgery can lead to better visual outcomes, longer graft survival, and reduced complications, as compared to PK. Global trends suggest adoption of these procedures at different rates. PMID:26755854

  20. Cultural Factors Relevant to Secondary School Students in Australia, Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia: Relative Differences and Congruencies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liem, Gregory Arief D.; Martin, Andrew J.; Nair, Elizabeth; Bernardo, Allan B. I.; Prasetya, Paulus Hidajat

    2009-01-01

    Waldrip and Fisher (2000) proposed seven culturally relevant factors that are salient in the educational setting (gender equity, collaboration, competition, deference, modelling, teacher authority, congruence). In relation to these factors, the present study examined differences and congruencies in factor structure (i.e., differences of kind) and…

  1. Combating Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea: Taking a Page from the Gulf of Aden International Anti-Piracy Operation

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-06-09

    89 1 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Maritime partnerships and maritime security and safety are...largely depends on the victims’ safety . They rarely killed crewmembers under normal circumstances.52...Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia , The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, The Philippines, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Spain, Thailand

  2. The Internet as a Medium of Training for Picture Archival and Communication Systems (PACS).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Majid, Shaheen; Misra, Ramesh Kumar

    2002-01-01

    Explores the potential of Web-based training for PACS (Picture Archival and Communication Systems) used in radiology departments for the storage and archiving of patients' medical images. Reports results of studies in three hospitals in Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines that showed that the Internet can be used effectively for training.…

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Satyawan, I. A.

    2018-03-01

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

  4. Psychological inflexibility and depressive symptoms among Asian English speakers: A study on Indian, Philippine, and Singaporean samples.

    PubMed

    Kato, Tsukasa

    2016-04-30

    Psychological inflexibility is a core concept in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. The primary aim of this study was to examine psychological inflexibility and depressive symptoms among Asian English speakers. A total of 900 adults in India, the Philippines, and Singapore completed some measures related to psychological inflexibility and depressive symptoms through a Web-based survey. Multiple regression analyses revealed that higher psychological inflexibility was significantly associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms in all the samples, after controlling for the effects of gender, marital status, and interpersonal stress. In addition, the effect sizes of the changes in the R(2) values when only psychological flexibility scores were entered in the regression model were large for all the samples. Moreover, overall, the beta-weight of the psychological flexibility scores obtained by the Philippine sample was the lowest of all three samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Mathematics in Tribal Philippines and Other Societies in the South Pacific.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee-Chua, Queena N.

    2001-01-01

    Investigates mathematics in the societies of Southeast Asia and the South Pacific with special focus on the Philippines. Presents mathematical practices such as counting and measurement, time, geometry, and logic, in ancient and present day times. (KHR)

  6. Terrorism in the Maritime Domain

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-03-01

    Indonesia-based terrorist group formed in the early 1990s to establish an Islamic state encompassing southern Thailand, Malaysia , Singapore, Indonesia...overseas. There are instances where the warships need to replenish their fuel and food supplies in a foreign country’s harbor. The terrorist group...initiated to improve the maritime domain awareness in the tri-border area (TBA) between the Philippines, Malaysia , and Indonesia, where terrorist

  7. General Secondary School Curriculum in the Asian Region. Bulletin of the UNESCO Regional Office for Education in Asia, Volume III, Number 2.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand).

    The UNESCO Regional Office for Education in Asia conducted a survey to determine the trends in secondary school curriculum in Asia, including Afghanistan, Burma, Cambodia, Ceylon, China (Twaiwan), India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet-Nam. The information…

  8. First Level of Education in the Asian Region. Bulletin of the UNESCO Regional Office for Education in Asia: June 1973.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Regional Office for Education in Asia and Oceania.

    Information on Asian primary education is presented for enrollment, teaching staff, and financial factors for Asia in general and for the following countries in particular: Afghanistan, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Khmer Republic, Laos, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Primary education reform in the Union…

  9. Migrant female domestic workers: debating the economic, social and political impacts in Singapore.

    PubMed

    Yeoh, B S; Huang, S; Gonzalez, J

    1999-01-01

    This article analyzes the impact of migrant female domestic workers on the socioeconomic and political context in Singapore. Although Singapore state policy opposes long-term immigration, there is a labor shortage which permits a transient work force of low-skilled foreign workers. In the late 1990s, Singapore had over 100,000 foreign maids, of whom 75% were from the Philippines, 20% were from Indonesia, and the rest were from Sri Lanka. Legislation ensures their short-term migrant status, restricts their numbers, and governs their employment. Migrant workers are also regulated through a stringent allocation system based on household income of employers and the need for caregivers for children. Work permits are conditioned on non-marriage to citizens of Singapore or pregnancy. Terms and conditions of migrant employment are not specified, which permits long hours of work and potential for inhumane treatment. Migrant women fulfill jobs not desired by natives and accept these jobs at lower wages. There is disagreement about the motivation for the maid levy and its need, fairness, and effectiveness in reducing demand for foreign maids. Most public discussion focuses on social values and morality of foreign maids. Politically, tensions arise over the legality of migration, which results from tourist worker migration to Singapore and circumvents Filipino labor controls. Most of the adjustment cases that come to the attention of OWWA are tourist workers. Policies should be gender sensitive.

  10. A Comparative Analysis of the Information Sectors of South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Mee-Jean

    1996-01-01

    Discussion of disparities between developed and developing nations and the influence of information technology focuses on the newly industrializing countries of South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan and their development of the information sectors as strategic industries to gain international competitiveness. Topics include information activities,…

  11. Patterns of Global Terrorism 2001

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2002-05-01

    security response from the steps against terrorist operations within its bor- Indonesian military. ders. Police interviewed Abu Bakar Baasyir, leader of...other foreign interests in Singapore and the arrest Indonesian authorities questioned Abu Bakar of suspects with ties to other countries under...on 27 May from a resort on Palawan Island in the southern Philippines by the Abu Sayyaf Group, was subsequently murdered by his captors. . On 29 May

  12. 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.

  13. Student Loans in Higher Education: 2. Asia. Report of an IIEP Educational Forum. IIEP Dissemination Programme, Educational Forum Series, No. 2.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Woodhall, Maureen

    This report summarizes an educational forum organized by the International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) and held in Genting, Malaysia on November 6-8, 1990, to discuss the experience of student loans in Australia, the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. In…

  14. The Pursuit of Economic Strength Has Stabilizing Effects in the South China Sea

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-09-01

    but opposing schools of thought regarding the security environment and potential for armed conflict between states with competing territory and...South China Sea and the corresponding reactions by Southeast Asian nations, particularly Vietnam and the Philippines .3 By contrast, the liberal school ...whether Vietnam and the Philippines are trending toward conflict or cooperation in managing their competing South China Sea territory and resource

  15. East Asia Review, 1973. To sum up.

    PubMed

    Keeny, S M

    1974-05-01

    Observations are made related to the review of family planning activities in East Asia in 1973. The number of new acceptors for the region increased from 2.7 million in 1972 to 3.4 million in 1973. The leaders were Indonesia, which almost doubled its achievement of calendar year 1972, the Philippines, and Korea. In Thailand, the number of new acceptors dropped by about 10%. South Vietnam is the only country in the region without an official policy. Most couples still think that the ideal number of children is 4, with at least 2 sons. Some religious opposition does exist, particularly with reference to sterlization and abortion. More attention is being paid to women in their 20s. Sterilization and condoms are becoming more popular. Korea reports a sharp increase in vasectomies. Better methods and continuation rates should be stressed. In Taiwan a couple who start with 1 method and continue to practice some method lower their reproduction rate by 80%. More responsibility is being delegated to nurses and midwives, but too slowly. In Indonesia, the number of field workers rose from 3774 in 1972 to 6275 in 1973. The Philippines and Thailand are experimenting to see what kind of workers get best results and under what kind of salary and incentive arrangements. In-service training tends to be neglected, but preservice training is improving. Costs, in general, have risen, though in Korea the cost per acceptor has dropped from US$8.00 to US$7.80. Korea and Taiwan have reduced their annual population growth rates by more than 1/3 in 10 years, from 30 to 19-20 per 1000 each. Singapore's rate is 17 and Hong Kong's 14 (exclusive of inmigration). The number of couples currently practicing contraception in Singapore is 71%. Target systems assigning quotas to clinics are generally used except in Thailand and Malaysia, where programs emphasize maternal and child health, rather than population planning. Most programs require about 10 years to get the annual growth rate down to 2% by voluntary family planning. To get it down to 1.5% will probably take another 10 years.

  16. Universal health coverage in 'One ASEAN': are migrants included?

    PubMed

    Guinto, Ramon Lorenzo Luis R; Curran, Ufara Zuwasti; Suphanchaimat, Rapeepong; Pocock, Nicola S

    2015-01-01

    As the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) gears toward full regional integration by 2015, the cross-border mobility of workers and citizens at large is expected to further intensify in the coming years. While ASEAN member countries have already signed the Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers, the health rights of migrants still need to be addressed, especially with ongoing universal health coverage (UHC) reforms in most ASEAN countries. This paper seeks to examine the inclusion of migrants in the UHC systems of five ASEAN countries which exhibit diverse migration profiles and are currently undergoing varying stages of UHC development. A scoping review of current migration trends and policies as well as ongoing UHC developments and migrant inclusion in UHC in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand was conducted. In general, all five countries, whether receiving or sending, have schemes that cover migrants to varying extents. Thailand even allows undocumented migrants to opt into its Compulsory Migrant Health Insurance scheme, while Malaysia and Singapore are still yet to consider including migrants in their government-run UHC systems. In terms of predominantly sending countries, the Philippines's social health insurance provides outbound migrants with portable insurance yet with limited benefits, while Indonesia still needs to strengthen the implementation of its compulsory migrant insurance which has a health insurance component. Overall, the five ASEAN countries continue to face implementation challenges, and will need to improve on their UHC design in order to ensure genuine inclusion of migrants, including undocumented migrants. However, such reforms will require strong political decisions from agencies outside the health sector that govern migration and labor policies. Furthermore, countries must engage in multilateral and bilateral dialogue as they redefine UHC beyond the basis of citizenship and reimagine UHC systems that transcend national borders. By enhancing migrant coverage, ASEAN countries can make UHC systems truly 'universal'. Migrant inclusion in UHC is a human rights imperative, and it is in ASEAN's best interest to protect the health of migrants as it pursues the path toward collective social progress and regional economic prosperity.

  17. Universal health coverage in ‘One ASEAN’: are migrants included?

    PubMed Central

    Guinto, Ramon Lorenzo Luis R.; Curran, Ufara Zuwasti; Suphanchaimat, Rapeepong; Pocock, Nicola S.

    2015-01-01

    Background As the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) gears toward full regional integration by 2015, the cross-border mobility of workers and citizens at large is expected to further intensify in the coming years. While ASEAN member countries have already signed the Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers, the health rights of migrants still need to be addressed, especially with ongoing universal health coverage (UHC) reforms in most ASEAN countries. This paper seeks to examine the inclusion of migrants in the UHC systems of five ASEAN countries which exhibit diverse migration profiles and are currently undergoing varying stages of UHC development. Design A scoping review of current migration trends and policies as well as ongoing UHC developments and migrant inclusion in UHC in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand was conducted. Results In general, all five countries, whether receiving or sending, have schemes that cover migrants to varying extents. Thailand even allows undocumented migrants to opt into its Compulsory Migrant Health Insurance scheme, while Malaysia and Singapore are still yet to consider including migrants in their government-run UHC systems. In terms of predominantly sending countries, the Philippines's social health insurance provides outbound migrants with portable insurance yet with limited benefits, while Indonesia still needs to strengthen the implementation of its compulsory migrant insurance which has a health insurance component. Overall, the five ASEAN countries continue to face implementation challenges, and will need to improve on their UHC design in order to ensure genuine inclusion of migrants, including undocumented migrants. However, such reforms will require strong political decisions from agencies outside the health sector that govern migration and labor policies. Furthermore, countries must engage in multilateral and bilateral dialogue as they redefine UHC beyond the basis of citizenship and reimagine UHC systems that transcend national borders. Conclusions By enhancing migrant coverage, ASEAN countries can make UHC systems truly ‘universal’. Migrant inclusion in UHC is a human rights imperative, and it is in ASEAN's best interest to protect the health of migrants as it pursues the path toward collective social progress and regional economic prosperity. PMID:25626624

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kane, R. P.

    1999-05-01

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

  19. Implementing the Singapore Mathematics Curriculum in South Africa: Experiences of Foundation Phase Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Naroth, Charmon; Luneta, Kakoma

    2015-01-01

    This paper reports on the findings from individual interviews and focus group discussions involving six teachers implementing the Singapore Mathematics Curriculum (SMC) in the Foundation Phase (Grade R to Grade 3) in a school in South Africa. The interviews presented an opportunity to explore teachers' experiences with their attempts to use the…

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2014-12-01

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

  1. The PLA and Chinas Rejuvenation: National Security and Military Strategies, Deterrence Concepts, and Combat Capabilities

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-01-01

    to envi- ronmental rehabilitation. Policies have been directed to clean the country’s water, air, and soil, all of which remain heavily contaminated ...quality and safety of food and products. However, as with many policies, implementation remains problematic.14 Recent Developments Under Xi...Southeast Asian nations’ military bases, includ- ing those of Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia , and Indonesia. Japan is also men- tioned

  2. U.S.-Vietnam Relations: Background and Issues for Congress

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-11-28

    Asian Nations (ASEAN — then made up of Indonesia, Malaysia , the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand) to condemn and contain the Vietnamese expansion...from Vietnam and have the Commerce Department self-initiate antidumping investigations when warranted. U.S. clothing importers and retailers , along...textile and apparel products for WTO members. Because Vietnam is not a WTO member, its clothing industry generally is considered to be at a disadvantage

  3. Transnational Crime and Security Threats in Indonesia

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-03-01

    archipelagos, while the region’s climate and cultures have also made it highly attractive to leisure activities. Piracy has been a traditional way of...coordinated patrols by Indonesia, Malaysia , and Singapore, along with increased security on vessels have sparked a dramatic downturn in piracy according to...just local but also international. Some sources believe that the network route runs from Cambodia to Southern Philippines to Malaysia then enters

  4. An international comparison of women's occupational health issues in the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Canada, Hong Kong and Singapore: the CIDA-SEAGEP study.

    PubMed

    Choi, Bernard C K

    2005-10-01

    An international comparison study of women's occupational health issues was carried out in 2000 for the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Canada, Hong Kong and Singapore. The study was funded by the Canadian International Development Agency's Southeast Asia Gender Equity Program. The objective was to compare the issues, risk factors, social determinants, and challenges in women's occupational health, according to the status of economic development as defined by the World Bank. Data were collected through 27 key informant interviews of high-ranking government officials and senior researchers, self-administered questionnaires on country or regional statistics and 16 courtesy calls. Results indicated that women's occupational health problems common in these countries or regions included women's long hours of work (double workday), shift work and a caring role for family and friends. Problems reported in developing countries but not developed countries included poor access to training and protective equipment, and insufficient legislation to protect women's rights. Problems reported in developed countries but not in developing countries included obesity, smoking and not including women in health research. This paper provides insights into the changing environment in the workplace, such as increasing participation of women in the paid workforce and changes in gender differences due to the changing country economy, for improving women's occupational health.

  5. Attribution of the Main Sources of Biomass Burning in South East Asia that Impact on Air Quality in Singapore

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hansen, A. B.; Kendall, E.; Chew, B. N.; Chong, W. M.; Gan, C.; Hort, M. C.; Shaw, F.; Witham, C. S.

    2017-12-01

    Biomass burning in South East Asia causes intense haze episodes in Singapore, these are of major concern to the local government and the population exposed to the haze. Using a Lagrangian dispersion model we have studied haze in the seven most recent years (2010 - 2016) to gain a deeper understanding of intense haze in Singapore. In this study, modelled haze time-series at one eastern and one western monitoring station in Singapore are compared to local observed PM10 and PM2.5 air concentrations. The haze time-series are broken down by season or month, source region, and monitoring location.The analysis, presented as time series and pie charts, illustrates the relative contribution to haze in Singapore from different regions, variations between seasons and the correlation of impact to the combined timing of burning activity and meteorological patterns. Air history maps, showing where air arriving in Singapore originates from and/or has travelled through, are used to isolate the meteorological dependence of impacts. These show a strong monsoonal variation and help explain the inter-annual differences between sources and actual concentrations of biomass burning PM in Singapore. For example, there is a strong correlation in 2013 between burning in Riau and haze in Singapore, but a weak correlation in other years when a significant part of haze originates from, e.g., Peninsula Malaysia, but emissions are seemingly negligible. We see that, in spite of the size of Singapore, there is significant difference in concentrations and major contributing source regions between the two monitoring stations, annually and seasonally. The differences at the two monitoring stations are seen in varying degrees in the years 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2015, throughout different seasons. Although only biomass burning is considered in the simulations, our modelled results are in good agreement with local observations. We have identified the source regions with the biggest contributions to haze in Singapore as Riau and Peninsula Malaysia, with secondary contributions from South Sumatra, Jambi, Central and West Kalimantan, Riau Islands, and Bangka-Belitung. We show that both regional burning and regional weather has significant impact on local haze conditions in Singapore.

  6. The Philippine Navy’s Strategic Sail Plan 2020: A Strong and Credible Force by 2020

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-06-09

    In his 1990 book, he ranked the Philippines Navy at a 6, offshore territorial defense Navy, with high levels of capability in operations up to about...relatively high levels of capability in defensive (and constabulary) operations up to about 200 miles from their shores”196 but the Philippines “just...South China Sea and the competing claims with the Philippines within this area. Philippine Focus on Maritime Security There are multiple articles

  7. Molecular Characterization of Chikungunya Virus, Philippines, 2011-2013.

    PubMed

    Sy, Ava Kristy; Saito-Obata, Mariko; Medado, Inez Andrea; Tohma, Kentaro; Dapat, Clyde; Segubre-Mercado, Edelwisa; Tandoc, Amado; Lupisan, Socorro; Oshitani, Hitoshi

    2016-05-01

    During 2011-2013, a nationwide outbreak of chikungunya virus infection occurred in the Philippines. The Asian genotype was identified as the predominant genotype; sporadic cases of the East/Central/South African genotype were detected in Mindanao. Further monitoring is needed to define the transmission pattern of this virus in the Philippines.

  8. Macroeconomic dataset for generating macroeconomic volatility among selected countries in the Asia Pacific region.

    PubMed

    Chow, Yee Peng; Muhammad, Junaina; Amin Noordin, Bany Ariffin; Cheng, Fan Fah

    2018-02-01

    This data article provides macroeconomic data that can be used to generate macroeconomic volatility. The data cover a sample of seven selected countries in the Asia Pacific region for the period 2004-2014, including both developing and developed countries. This dataset was generated to enhance our understanding of the sources of macroeconomic volatility affecting the countries in this region. Although the Asia Pacific region continues to remain as the most dynamic part of the world's economy, it is not spared from various sources of macroeconomic volatility through the decades. The reported data cover 15 types of macroeconomic data series, representing three broad categories of indicators that can be used to proxy macroeconomic volatility. They are indicators that account for macroeconomic volatility (i.e. volatility as a macroeconomic outcome), domestic sources of macroeconomic volatility and external sources of macroeconomic volatility. In particular, the selected countries are Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Philippines, which are regarded as developing countries, while Singapore, Japan and Australia are developed countries. Despite the differences in level of economic development, these countries were affected by similar sources of macroeconomic volatility such as the Asian Financial Crisis and the Global Financial Crisis. These countries were also affected by other similar external turbulence arising from factors such as the global economic slowdown, geopolitical risks in the Middle East and volatile commodity prices. Nonetheless, there were also sources of macroeconomic volatility which were peculiar to certain countries only. These were generally domestic sources of volatility such as political instability (for Thailand, Indonesia and Philippines), natural disasters and anomalous weather conditions (for Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Japan and Australia) and over-dependence on the electronic sector (for Singapore).

  9. Molecular Characterization of Chikungunya Virus, Philippines, 2011–2013

    PubMed Central

    Sy, Ava Kristy; Saito-Obata, Mariko; Medado, Inez Andrea; Tohma, Kentaro; Dapat, Clyde; Segubre-Mercado, Edelwisa; Tandoc, Amado; Lupisan, Socorro

    2016-01-01

    During 2011–2013, a nationwide outbreak of chikungunya virus infection occurred in the Philippines. The Asian genotype was identified as the predominant genotype; sporadic cases of the East/Central/South African genotype were detected in Mindanao. Further monitoring is needed to define the transmission pattern of this virus in the Philippines. PMID:27088593

  10. Indonesia: The Economic Crisis 1997-1998.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1998-06-01

    Malaysian ringgit, Indonesian rupiah and even the Singapore dollar. The crisis happened not only in Southeast Asia but also spread to other regions...offered the Philippines almost $1.1 billion in financial support. On July 14, the Malaysian central bank abandoned the defense of the ringgit, and on...July 24, Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, launched a bitter attack on "rouge speculators" after the ringgit hit a 38-month low of 2.6530

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

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1999-06-04

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

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arismunandar, A.; Dupuis, P.

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

  13. News Lists Registration

    Atmospheric Science Data Center

    2016-12-28

    ... Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South ... E-mail Address * Primary Area of Research * The satisfaction of our customers with our ...

  14. A study of El Niño-Southern oscillation impacts to the South China Sea region using ground-based GPS receiver

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suparta, Wayan; Iskandar, Ahmad; Singh Jit Singh, Mandeep; Alauddin Mohd Ali, Mohd; Yatim, Baharudin; Tangang, Fredolin

    2013-04-01

    We observe an ENSO activity by using ground-based GPS receiver as an effort to study the effects of global warming and climate change in the tropical region. The precipitable water vapor (PWV) derived from Global Positioning System (GPS) meteorology in line with the sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTa) is used to indicate their response on ENSO activities. The PWV data used in this study was taken from the station at Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu (UMSK) over 2011, together with NTUS station (in the Singapore), PIMO (in Philippines) and BAKO (in Indonesia) are also compared. The relationship between PWV and SSTa at all stations on weekly basis exhibited modest with correlation coefficients between -0.30 and -0.78 significantly at the 99% confidence level. The negative correlation indicates that during a La Niña phase, the PWV is increased when the sea surface temperatures getting cold causes warm air mass in the central Pacific moved to west Pacific. The increased of PWV causes the GPS signals will be getting slower.

  15. Todaro migration and primacy models: relevance to the urbanization of the Philippines.

    PubMed

    Cuervo, J C; Kim Hin, D H

    1998-08-01

    "This paper looks into the set of factors that [influence] the urbanization of the Philippines, a fast-growing developing economy in South East Asia. The paper demonstrates that the ¿migration primacy urbanization model' is an appropriate one that is able to explain the urbanization case in the Philippines. The model draws supporting evidence from rank-size distribution analysis of major cities in the Philippines, a detailed examination of historical, geopolitical and economic forces which have evolved in the development of the Philippines as a sovereign state, and the applicability of the Todaro model on rural-urban migration to the Philippines." excerpt

  16. Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia - Controlling the Malacca Straits

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1997-12-01

    amounted to 44,958,800 metric tons. Peninsular Malaysia registered 9,620 foreign trade vessels entering its ports in 1990 with 57,050,000 registered tons...are separated from peninsular Malaysia by 100 miles of the South China Sea. Important future energy sources lie within islands and atolls in the South...NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL Monterey, California THESIS MALAYSIA , SINGAPORE, AND INDONESIA- CONTROLLING THE MALACCA STRAITS (CC by Way Bandy, Jr

  17. Prevalence and Current Approaches of Ebola Virus Disease in ASEAN Countries.

    PubMed

    Rajiah, Kingston; San, Kok Pui; Jiun, Ting Wei; May, Tam Ai; Neng, Yap Chan; Seng, Hee Kah; Soon, Lim Jing; Pazooki, Nazanin

    2015-09-01

    As indicated by the World Health Organization as of year 2014, around 10,000 people have been influenced with Ebola infection. The episode of Ebola in African locale is courged with a high death rate. Notwithstanding, in the United States, people influenced by Ebola have been given brilliant wellbeing offices, as the U.S. is one of the highest nations that have taken sterner wellbeing measures and principles against Ebola. Aside from the U.S., individuals in Asia, where billions live in indigence and general wellbeing frameworks are frequently extremely powerless, are under more serious danger of the Ebola infection. Despite the fact that nations like Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan can take stretched out measures to battle against the infection, nations like Philippines and Indonesia have unfathomable quantities of poor who may be incredibly influenced by a conceivable episode. At this moment, the chances that Asia will take a critical hit from the Ebola infection appear to be genuinely little. Yet, while it is far-fetched that Asia will encounter a real flare-up, genuine concerns stay about the infection coming to urban communities like Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and Singapore through their worldwide airplane terminals. Wellbeing priests from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) reported key measures not long ago to keep the Ebola plague from coming to the locale and to backing influenced nations. This article accordingly will concentrate on the prevalence and current approaches of Ebola Virus Disease in ASEAN nations which is the need of the hour.

  18. Prevalence and Current Approaches of Ebola Virus Disease in ASEAN Countries

    PubMed Central

    San, Kok Pui; Jiun, Ting Wei; May, Tam Ai; Neng, Yap Chan; Seng, Hee Kah; Soon, Lim Jing; Pazooki, Nazanin

    2015-01-01

    As indicated by the World Health Organization as of year 2014, around 10,000 people have been influenced with Ebola infection. The episode of Ebola in African locale is courged with a high death rate. Notwithstanding, in the United States, people influenced by Ebola have been given brilliant wellbeing offices, as the U.S. is one of the highest nations that have taken sterner wellbeing measures and principles against Ebola. Aside from the U.S., individuals in Asia, where billions live in indigence and general wellbeing frameworks are frequently extremely powerless, are under more serious danger of the Ebola infection. Despite the fact that nations like Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan can take stretched out measures to battle against the infection, nations like Philippines and Indonesia have unfathomable quantities of poor who may be incredibly influenced by a conceivable episode. At this moment, the chances that Asia will take a critical hit from the Ebola infection appear to be genuinely little. Yet, while it is far-fetched that Asia will encounter a real flare-up, genuine concerns stay about the infection coming to urban communities like Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and Singapore through their worldwide airplane terminals. Wellbeing priests from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) reported key measures not long ago to keep the Ebola plague from coming to the locale and to backing influenced nations. This article accordingly will concentrate on the prevalence and current approaches of Ebola Virus Disease in ASEAN nations which is the need of the hour. PMID:26500929

  19. Tobacco control and gender in Southeast Asia. Part I: Malaysia and the Philippines.

    PubMed

    Morrow, Martha; Barraclough, Simon

    2003-09-01

    In the World Health Organization's Western Pacific Region, being born male is the single greatest risk marker for tobacco use. While the literature demonstrates that risks associated with tobacco use may vary according to sex, gender refers to the socially determined roles and responsibilities of men and women, who initiate, continue and quit using tobacco for complex and often different reasons. Cigarette advertising frequently appeals to gender roles. Yet tobacco control policy tends to be gender-blind. Using a broad gender-sensitivity framework, this contradiction is explored in four Western Pacific countries. Part I of the study discusses issues surrounding gender and tobacco, and analyses developments in Malaysia and the Philippines. Part II deals with Singapore and Vietnam. In all four countries, gender was salient for the initiation and maintenance of smoking, and in Malaysia and the Philippines was highly significant in cigarette promotion. Yet, with a few exceptions, gender was largely unrecognized in control policy. Suggestions for overcoming this weakness in order to enhance tobacco control are made in Part II.

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

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-06-01

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

  1. Flight Attendant Fatigue. Part 5: A Comparative Study of International Flight Attendant Fatigue Regulations and Collective Bargaining Agreements

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-11-01

    reduced rest period. 6 Day Off A period of at least 24 hr available for leisure and relaxation free from all duties. 7 Crew Rest Facilities A...Republic of Korea 1 0 0 1 Malaysia 4 7 1 3 Maldives 3 1 0 1 Malta 3 5 1 0 Nigeria 1 2 0 1 Pakistan 8 4 1 2 Philippines 7 4 0 2 Singapore 5 7 0 2

  2. Sailing The Calm And Rough Seas: The Influence Of Wealth And Sovereignty In Southeast Asian Maritime Disputes

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-03-01

    joint-development in the Gulf of Thailand; the Pedra Branca dispute between Singapore and Malaysia ; and recurring violence in the South China Sea...Singapore and Malaysia ; and recurring violence in the South China Sea, involving multiple states in the region. After analyzing the case studies...31  1.  Burma-India Agreement in the Andaman Sea ..........................31  2.  Indonesia- Malaysia Agreement in the

  3. Tension in the South China Sea: Why the Philippines is Challenging China’s Improved Military Might

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-12-01

    16 Figure 2. PRC Structures on Subi Reef in the Spratlys...China Sea (SCS) and occupation of territories claimed by the Philippines. Following the 1995 incident at Mischief Reef , Philippine foreign policy...escalate disputes and effect peace and stability including, among others, refraining from action of inhabiting on the presently uninhabited islands, reefs

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

    PubMed

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

    2002-01-01

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

  5. Marine pharmacology in 2001–2002: Marine compounds with anthelmintic, antibacterial, anticoagulant, antidiabetic, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, antiplatelet, antiprotozoal, antituberculosis, and antiviral activities; affecting the cardiovascular, immune and nervous systems and other miscellaneous mechanisms of action

    PubMed Central

    Mayer, Alejandro M.S.; Hamann, Mark T.

    2016-01-01

    During 2001–2002, research on the pharmacology of marine chemicals continued to be global in nature involving investigators from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom, and the United States. This current article, a sequel to the authors’ 1998, 1999 and 2000 marine pharmacology reviews, classifies 106 marine chemicals derived from a diverse group of marine animals, algae, fungi and bacteria, on the basis of peer-reviewed preclinical pharmacology. Anthelmintic, antibacterial, anticoagulant, antifungal, antimalarial, antiplatelet, antiprotozoal, antituberculosis or antiviral activities were reported for 56 marine chemicals. An additional 19 marine compounds were shown to have significant effects on the cardiovascular, immune and nervous system as well as to possess anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic effects. Finally, 31 marine compounds were reported to act on a variety of molecular targets and thus may potentially contribute to several pharmacological classes. Thus, during 2001–2002 pharmacological research with marine chemicals continued to contribute potentially novel chemical leads for the ongoing global search for therapeutic agents for the treatment of multiple disease categories. PMID:15919242

  6. Heart failure across Asia: Same healthcare burden but differences in organization of care.

    PubMed

    Reyes, Eugenio B; Ha, Jong-Won; Firdaus, Isman; Ghazi, Azmee Mohd; Phrommintikul, Arintaya; Sim, David; Vu, Quynh Nga; Siu, Chung Wah; Yin, Wei-Hsian; Cowie, Martin R

    2016-11-15

    A gap in the knowledge on the status of heart failure (HF) in Asia versus other regions led to the creation of a working group of Asian experts from 9 countries or regions (Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam). Each expert sought the best available data from local publications, registries, or clinical practice. The prevalence of HF in Asia was generally similar to global values (1% to 3%), but with some outliers. There were substantial variations in healthcare spending, and the average cost of HF hospitalization varied from 813 US$ in Indonesia to nearly 9000 US$ in South Korea. Comorbidities were frequent, particularly hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia. Modifiable risk factors such as smoking were alarmingly common in some countries. Asian HF patients spent between 5 and 12.5days in hospital, and 3% to 15% were readmitted for HF by 30days. The pharmacological treatment of Asian patients generally followed international guidelines, including renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (61% to 90%), diuretics (76% to 99%), beta-blockers (32% to 78%), and digoxin (19% to 53%), with some room for improvement in terms of life-saving therapies. Our review supports implementation of a more comprehensive and organized approach to HF care in Asia. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  7. Find a Diabetes Educator

    MedlinePlus

    ... SENEGAL SERBIA SEYCHELLES SIERRA LEONE SINGAPORE SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA SOLOMON ISLANDS SOMALIA SOMALILAND SOUTH AFRICA SOUTH KOREA SOUTH ... Links Practice Patient Resources Education & Career News & Publications Research Join AADE Join Now Member Benefits Member Types ...

  8. Upper mantle heterogeneity: Comparisons of regions south of Australia with Philippine Basin

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1982-01-01

    The nature of mass anomalies that occur beneath the regions of negative residual depth anomalies were identified. Residual geoid anomalies with negative residual depth anomalies are identified in the Philippine Basin (negative) and in the region south of Australia (positive and negative). In the latter region the geoid anomalies are eastward and the depth anomaly is northeast. It is suggested that the negative depth anomaly and the compensating mass excess in the uppermost mantle developed in the Eocene as the lithosphere of the west Philippine basin formed. Heating of the deeper upper mantle which causes slow surface wave velocities and negative gravity and geoid anomalies may be a younger phenomenon which is still in progress.

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

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-11-01

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

  10. Find an Eye M.D.

    MedlinePlus

    ... Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia(Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia South Sudan ... treat all eye diseases. Many ophthalmologists conduct scientific research to improve treatment options and to find cures ...

  11. A community-based validation study of the short-form 36 version 2 Philippines (Tagalog) in two cities in the Philippines.

    PubMed

    Castillo-Carandang, Nina T; Sison, Olivia T; Grefal, Mary Lenore; Sy, Rody G; Alix, Oliver C; Llanes, Elmer Jasper B; Reganit, Paul Ferdinand M; Gumatay, Allan Wilbert G; Punzalan, Felix Eduardo R; Velandria, Felicidad V; Tai, E Shyong; Wee, Hwee-Lin

    2013-01-01

    To evaluate the validity and reliability of the Philippines (Tagalog) Short Form 36 Health Survey version 2 (SF-36v2(®)) standard questionnaire among Filipinos residing in two cities. The official Philippines (Tagalog) SF-36v2 standard (4-week recall) version was pretested on 30 participants followed by formal and informal cognitive debriefing. To obtain the feedback on translation by bilingual respondents, each SF-36v2 question was stated first in English followed by Tagalog. No revisions to the original questionnaire were needed except that participants thought it was appropriate to incorporate "po" in the instructions to make it more polite. Face-to-face interviews of 562 participants aged 20-50 years living in two barangays (villages) in the highly urbanized city of Makati City (Metro Manila) and in urban and rural barangays in Tanauan City (province of Batangas) were subsequently conducted. Content validity, item level validity, reliability and factor structure of the SF-36v2 (Tagalog) were examined. Content validity of the SF-36v2 was assessed to be adequate for assessing health status among Filipinos. Item means of Philippines (Tagalog) SF-36v2 were similar with comparable scales in the US English, Singapore (English and Chinese) and Thai SF-36 version 1. Item-scale correlation exceeded 0.4 for all items except the bathing item in PF (correlation: 0.31). In exploratory factor analysis, the US two-component model was supported. However, in confirmatory factor analysis, the Japanese three-component model fit the Tagalog data better than the US two-component model. The Philippines (Tagalog) SF-36v2 is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring health status among residents of Makati City (Metro Manila) and Tanauan City (Province of Batangas).

  12. Weighted West, Focused on the Indian Ocean and Cooperating across the Indo Pacific: The Indian Navy’s New Maritime Strategy, Capabilities, and Diplomacy

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-04-25

    areas: • First, “[t]he safety and security of seaborne trade and energy routes…” • Second, “[t]he importance of maintaining freedom of navigation and...equipment, lax operational procedures, and weak safety enforcement. Other weaknesses include submarines and ASW. The IN’s submarine program has...Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia , New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Secretary (West) European

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

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-03-01

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

  14. Influence of equatorial QBO (quasi-biennial oscillation) and SST (sea-surface temperature) on polar total ozone, and the 1990 Antarctic ozone hole

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

    Angell, J.K.

    1990-09-01

    Based on data through 1989, comparisons are made between the variation of total ozone at Resolute, Canada (75{degree}N) and South Pole, and the variation of low-stratospheric temperature at Singapore (reflecting the equatorial QBO) and SST in eastern equatorial Pacific (reflecting the ENSO phenomenon). Total-ozone variations at Resolute have been more closely related to the QBO, whereas the total-ozone variations at South Pole appear to have been almost equally related to QBO and SST. When the average of 50 mb and 30 mb June-July-August (JJA) values of Singapore temperature ({bar T}) increased from one year to the next, the decrease inmore » South Pole springtime total ozone for the same years averaged 21 {plus minus} 14% greater than when {bar T} decreased. When the JJA values of equatorial SST increased from one year to the next, the decrease in South Pole springtime total ozone for the same years averaged 18 {plus minus} 12% greater than when SST decreased. In the 6 cases when JJA values of both Singapore {bar T} and equatorial SST increased from one year to the next, the spring values of South Pole total ozone have decreased, whereas in the 6 cases when both {bar T} and SST decreased from one year to the next, South Pole total ozone has increased. Both Singapore {bar T} and equatorial SST will probably be warmer in JJA of 1990 than they were in JJA of 1989 suggesting, based on these previous relations, an even deeper Antarctic ozone hole in 1990 than in 1989 and ending the biennial variation in depth of the hole of the last 6 years.« less

  15. Pn tomography of South China Sea, Taiwan Island, Philippine archipelago, and adjacent regions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Xibing; Song, Xiaodong; Li, Jiangtao

    2017-02-01

    The South China Sea (SCS) and its surrounding areas are geologically highly heterogeneous from the interactions of multiple plates in Southeast Asia (Eurasian plate, Indian-Australian plate, Philippine Sea plate, and Pacific plate). To understand the tectonics at depth, here we combined bulletin and handpicked data to conduct Pn tomography of the region. The results show distinct features that are correlated with the complex geology at surface, suggesting a lithosphere-scale tectonics of the region. Low Pn velocities are found along a belt of the western Pacific transpressional system from the Okinawa Trough and eastern East China Sea, across central and eastern Taiwan orogeny, to the island arcs of the Luzon Strait and the entire Philippine Islands, as well as under the Palawan Island and part of the continental margin north of the Pearl River Basin. High velocities are found under Ryukyu subduction zone, part of the Philippine subduction zone, part of the Eurasian subduction beneath the southwestern Taiwan, and the continent-ocean boundary between the south China and the SCS basin. The Taiwan Strait, the Mainland SE coast, and the main SCS basin sea are relatively uniform with average Pn values. Crustal thicknesses show large variations in the study region but also coherency with tectonic elements. The Pn pattern in Taiwan shows linear trends of surface geology and suggests strongly lithosphere-scale deformation of the young Taiwan orogenic belt marked by the deformation boundary under the Western Foothill and the Western Coastal Plain at depth, and the crustal thickness shows a complex pattern from the transpressional collision. Our observations are consistent with rifting and extension in the northern margin of the SCS but are not consistent with mantle upwelling as a mechanism for the opening and the subsequent closing of the SCS. The Philippine island arc is affected by volcanisms from both the Asian and Philippine Sea subductions in the south but mainly from the Asian subduction in the north and under the Luzon Strait.

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

    PubMed

    Ng, Kh; Wong, Jhd

    2008-04-01

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

  17. Island of Luzon, Philippines

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1990-01-01

    In this north to south view of the Island of Luzon, Philippines (13.0N, 120.0E), the prominent Cordillera Central mountain range where gold, copper and silver are mined. The several large rivers that drain this region normally carry a heavy silt load to the sea but the absence of sediment plumes in this view is evidence of hot dry weather and lack of recent rains. Manila, the capital city is just visible at the south end of the island.

  18. EOS ART: Six Artistic Projects Inspired by Earth Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kerlow, Isaac

    2015-04-01

    The six projects produced under the artists' residencies at the Earth Observatory of Singapore (EOS) were inspired by Earth science and by the human experience in naturally hazardous regions. These contemporary artworks were created within an interdisciplinary framework that fostered collaborations between artists and scientists. EOS ART was a pilot program that also facilitated the active engagement of regional artists with issues related to Earth science, sustainable societies, and innovative methods for science outreach. An interdisciplinary jury of art critics, curators and Earth scientists selected art projects proposed by regional artists, and funds were awarded to develop and realize the projects. The artworks-including installations, photographs, and video art-were showcased in the "Unearthed" public exhibit at the Singapore Art Museum from March to July of 2014. A 92-page catalog accompanied the show and public seminars about interdisciplinary connections complemented the event. This was a unique example of collaboration between scientific and artistic institutions in Southeast Asia. The paper provides an overview of the motivations, process and accomplished results. The art projects include "Coastline" by Zhang Xiao (China), "Lupang" by Clara Balaguer and Carlos Casas (Philippines and Spain), "Sound of the Earth" by Chen Sai Hua Kuan (Singapore), "Sudden Nature" by Isaac Kerlow (Mexico/USA), "The Possibility of Knowing" by Robert Zhao Renhui (Singapore), and "When Need Moves the Earth" by Sutthirat Supaparinya (Thailand).

  19. Singapore, Malaysia

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1992-01-01

    This view of the Malay Peninsula shows the city state of Singapore, Malaysia (1.5N, 104.0E) with all its urban, industrial and commercial land use areas. Singapore is located at the south tip of the Malay peninsula separated by the Johor Strait. The prosporous island state, once Asia's major trade center, is now highly industrialized despite its small size and its ideal location has made this island a hub of trade, shipping and service industries.

  20. Singapore, Malaysia

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1992-07-09

    This view of the Malay Peninsula shows the city state of Singapore, Malaysia (1.5N, 104.0E) with all its urban, industrial and commercial land use areas. Singapore is located at the south tip of the Malay peninsula separated by the Johor Strait. The prosporous island state, once Asia's major trade center, is now highly industrialized despite its small size and its ideal location has made this island a hub of trade, shipping and service industries.

  1. China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities -- Background and Issues for Congress

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-08-29

    State, and — countries other than the United States, such as Taiwan, Russia, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines , the countries of Southeast Asia...operations: (1) to bring Taiwan to its knees and (2) cause the U.S. to be tardy , indecisive, or ineffective in responding.68 Anti-Air Warfare (AAW...Other potential Western Pacific locations, at least in theory, include South Korea (where other U.S. forces have been based for years), the Philippines

  2. China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities - Background and Issues for Congress

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-02-07

    United States, such as Taiwan, Russia, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines , the countries of Southeast Asia, Australia, India, and (through issues such as...two major simultaneous operations: (1) to bring Taiwan to its knees and (2) cause the U.S. to be tardy , indecisive, or ineffective in responding.75 CRS...Pacific locations, at least in theory, include South Korea (where other U.S. forces have been based for years), the Philippines (where the U.S. Navy

  3. Reabsorption of returning workers from the Gulf: the Asian experience.

    PubMed

    Kazi, S

    1994-01-01

    This study examines trends in return labor migration from the Middle East to South Asia and Southeast Asia. Survey data were used to describe trends in outmigration and socioeconomic characteristics of return migrants and to examine the extent to which return migration is associated with skill level and use of savings and remittances on their return. General trends indicate a decline in outmigration during the late 1980s and early 1990s, after oil prices dropped in 1986. Migrants from Pakistan and Korea declined by half during 1981-85 and by 40% among Indian migrants. The demand for service workers and migrants willing to accept cuts in wages was unaffected. Outmigration from Southeast Asian countries grew in the recent past. These increases were due to the replacement of workers from Jordan and Yemen who were expelled from Saudi Arabia after the Gulf crisis. The shift in occupational demand to service and higher level workers is expected to weaken migration from Pakistan and Bangladesh and to strengthen migration from Sri Lanka and other Southeast Asian countries with a skilled migrant labor force. Outmigration from Southeast Asian countries increased to high-growth destination countries such as Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore. Socioeconomic characteristics of migrants varied by country of origin. For instance, Philippine migrants were better educated. Migrants from Thailand, Bangladesh, and Pakistan were from rural and impoverished areas. Sri Lanka and the Philippines had many women migrants. Return migrants encountered high unemployment. Return migrants to Korea had fewer reemployment problems. Reemployment was associated with local country conditions. Unskilled workers had the highest rates of unemployment. Savings tended to be invested in real estate and housing. Savings and investment from remittance income was high in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Thailand.

  4. Population education in the schools.

    PubMed

    Sherris, J D; Quillin, W F

    1982-01-01

    Formal population education is designed to teach children in school about basic population issues and, in many cases, to encourage them eventually to have smaller families. Some programs include specific units on human reproduction and family planning, while others do not. National population education programs began during the 1970s in about a dozen countries, mainly in Asia. These include Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Thailand, Egypt, Tunisia, and El Salvador. A strong case can be made for including an important contemporary issue like population in the school curriculum. Nevertheless, educational innovation is a difficult and long-term process. As a rule, it takes 5 to 10 years before new material can be fully incorporated in a school curriculum. Curriculum changes must be carefully planned, thousands of teachers trained, and appropriate materials prepared for classroom use. Moreover, differences of opinion over the need, acceptability, goals, content, methods, and other aspects of population education have held back programs in some countries. Where population education programs have been implemented, student knowledge of population issues increases, but it is not yet clear whether in-school education has a measurable impact on fertility-related attitudes or behavior.

  5. Impact of land use change on the land atmosphere carbon flux of South and South East Asia: A Synthesis of Dynamic Vegetation Model Results

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cervarich, M.; Shu, S.; Jain, A. K.; Poulter, B.; Stocker, B.; Arneth, A.; Viovy, N.; Kato, E.; Wiltshire, A.; Koven, C.; Sitch, S.; Zeng, N.; Friedlingstein, P.

    2015-12-01

    Understanding our present day carbon cycle and possible solutions to recent increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide is dependent upon quantifying the terrestrial carbon budget. Currently, global land cover and land use change is estimated to emit 0.9 PgC yr-1 compared to emissions due to fossil fuel combustion and cement production of 8.4 PgC yr-1. South and Southeast Asia (India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, Myanmar, and Singapore) is a region of rapid land cover and land use change due to the continuous development of agriculture, deforestation, reforestation, afforestation, and the increased demand of land for people to live. In this study, we synthesize outputs of nine models participated in Global Carbon Budget Project to identify the carbon budget of South and southeast Asia, diagnose the contribution of land cover and land use change to carbon emissions and assess areas of uncertainty in the suite of models. Uncertainty is determined using the standard deviation and the coefficient of variation of net ecosystem exchange and its component parts. Results show the region's terrestrial biosphere was a source of carbon emissions from the 1980 to the early 1990s. During the same time period, land cover and land use change increasingly contributed to carbon emission. In the most recent two decades, the region became a carbon sink since emission due to land cover land use changes. Spatially, the greatest total emissions occurred in the tropical forest of Southeast Asia. Additionally, this is the subregion with the greatest uncertainty and greatest biomass. Model uncertainty is shown to be proportional to total biomass. The atmospheric impacts of ENSO are shown to suppress the net biosphere productivity in South and Southeast Asia leading to years of increased carbon emissions.

  6. Find a Hematologist

    MedlinePlus

    ... Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovak Republic Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia Spain Sri ... Job Center ASH Apps Share Your Idea Donate Research Research Programs and Awards ASH Agenda for Hematology ...

  7. 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.

  8. THE EOS ART Projects: Six Art Projects Inspired by Earth Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kerlow, I.

    2015-12-01

    The six projects produced under the artists' residencies at the Earth Observatory of Singapore (EOS) were inspired by Earth science and by the human experience in naturally hazardous regions. These contemporary artworks were created within an interdisciplinary framework that fostered collaborations between artists and scientists. The EOS ART 2010-2013 was a pilot program that also facilitated the active engagement of regional artists with issues related to Earth science, sustainable societies, and innovative methods for science outreach. An interdisciplinary jury of art critics, curators and Earth scientists selected art projects proposed by regional artists, and funds were awarded to develop and realize the projects.The artworks-including installations, photographs, and video art-were showcased in the "Unearthed" public exhibit at the Singapore Art Museum from March to July of 2014. A 92-page catalog accompanied the show and public seminars about interdisciplinary connections complemented the event. This was a unique example of collaboration between scientific and artistic institutions in Southeast Asia.The presentation provides an overview of the motivations, process and accomplished results. The art projects include "Coastline" by Zhang Xiao (China), "Lupang" by Clara Balaguer and Carlos Casas (Philippines and Spain), "Sound of the Earth" by Chen Sai Hua Kuan (Singapore), "Sudden Nature" by Isaac Kerlow (Mexico/USA), "The Possibility of Knowing" by Robert Zhao Renhui (Singapore), and "When Need Moves the Earth" by Sutthirat Supaparinya (Thailand). http://art-science-media.com/the-eos-art-projects/

  9. Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation

    MedlinePlus

    ... Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the ... Tribute Of Individual Gifts Corporate Sponsorship Invest in Research Diseases Aplastic Anemia Causes Symptoms Diagnosis Types Treatments ...

  10. Alcorn wells bolster Philippines oil production

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

    Not Available

    1992-09-21

    This paper reports that Alcorn International Inc., Houston, is producing about 16,500 b/d of oil from West Linapacan A field in the South China Sea off the Philippines. The field's current production alone is more than fivefold the Philippines' total average oil flow of 3,000 b/d in 1991. It's part of a string of oil and gas strikes off Palawan Island that has made the region one of the hottest exploration/development plays in the Asia-Pacific theater.

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

    PubMed Central

    Ng, KH; Wong, JHD

    2008-01-01

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

  12. Overview of 2010-2013 spring campaigns of Seven South East Asian Studies (7-SEAS) in the northern Southeast Asia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, N.; Tsay, S.; Hsu, N. C.; Holben, B. N.; Anh, N.; Reid, J. S.; Sheu, G.; Chi, K.; Wang, S.; Lee, C.; Wang, L.; Wang, J.; Chen, W.; Welton, E. J.; Liang, S.; Sopajaree, K.; Maring, H. B.; Janjai, S.; Chantara, S.

    2013-12-01

    The Seven South East Asian Studies (7-SEAS) is a grass-root program and seeks to perform interdisciplinary research in the field of aerosol-meteorology and climate interaction in the Southeast Asian region, particularly for the impact of biomass burning on cloud, atmospheric radiation, hydrological cycle, and regional climate. Participating countries include Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, and USA. A series of field experiments have been conducted during springtime biomass burning seasons in northern Southeast Asia, i.e., Dongsha Experiment in 2010, Son La Campaigns in 2011 and 2012, and BASELInE (Biomass-burning Aerosols & Stratocumulus Environment: Lifecycles and Interactions Experiment) in 2013, respectively. Given an example, during 2010 Dongsha Experiment, a monitoring network for ground-based measurements was established, including five stations from northern Thailand and central Vietnam to Taiwan, with a supersite at the Dongsha Island (i.e. Pratas Island) in South China Sea (or East Sea). Aerosol chemistry sampling was performed for each station for characterizing the compositions of PM2.5/PM10 (some for TSP) including water-soluble ions, metal elements, BC/OC, Hg and dioxins. This experiment provides a relatively complete and first dataset of aerosol chemistry and physical observations conducted in the source/sink region for below marine boundary layer and lower free troposphere of biomass burning/air pollutants in the northern SE Asia. This presentation will give an overview of these 7-SEAS activities and their results, particularly for the characterization of biomass-burning aerosol at source regions in northern Thailand and northern Vietnam, and receptor stations in Taiwan, which is rarely studied.

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

    PubMed

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

    1999-01-01

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

  14. Find a Pediatrician or Pediatric Specialist

    MedlinePlus

    ... SENEGAL SERBIA SEYCHELLES SIERRA LEONE SINGAPORE SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA SOLOMON ISLANDS SOMALIA SOMALILAND SOUTH AFRICA SOUTH OSSETIA SPAIN ... Preventive Medicine Psychology/Psychiatry Public Health Pulmonology Radiology Research Rheumatology School Health Sleep Medicine Sports Medicine Surgery ...

  15. "Ladlad" and Parrhesiastic Pedagogy: Unfurling LGBT Politics and Education in the Global South

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coloma, Roland Sintos

    2013-01-01

    This article examines the political and educational activism of "Ladlad," the first lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) political party in the Philippines and the only existing LGBT political party in the world. Founded in 2003, "Ladlad" fielded candidates for the 2010 national election in the Philippines, amidst…

  16. A Community-Based Validation Study of the Short-Form 36 Version 2 Philippines (Tagalog) in Two Cities in the Philippines

    PubMed Central

    Castillo-Carandang, Nina T.; Sison, Olivia T.; Grefal, Mary Lenore; Sy, Rody G.; Alix, Oliver C.; Llanes, Elmer Jasper B.; Reganit, Paul Ferdinand M.; Gumatay, Allan Wilbert G.; Punzalan, Felix Eduardo R.; Velandria, Felicidad V.; Tai, E. Shyong; Wee, Hwee-Lin

    2013-01-01

    Objective To evaluate the validity and reliability of the Philippines (Tagalog) Short Form 36 Health Survey version 2 (SF-36v2®) standard questionnaire among Filipinos residing in two cities. Study Design and Setting The official Philippines (Tagalog) SF-36v2 standard (4-week recall) version was pretested on 30 participants followed by formal and informal cognitive debriefing. To obtain the feedback on translation by bilingual respondents, each SF-36v2 question was stated first in English followed by Tagalog. No revisions to the original questionnaire were needed except that participants thought it was appropriate to incorporate "po" in the instructions to make it more polite. Face-to-face interviews of 562 participants aged 20-50 years living in two barangays (villages) in the highly urbanized city of Makati City (Metro Manila) and in urban and rural barangays in Tanauan City (province of Batangas) were subsequently conducted. Content validity, item level validity, reliability and factor structure of the SF-36v2 (Tagalog) were examined. Results Content validity of the SF-36v2 was assessed to be adequate for assessing health status among Filipinos. Item means of Philippines (Tagalog) SF-36v2 were similar with comparable scales in the US English, Singapore (English and Chinese) and Thai SF-36 version 1. Item-scale correlation exceeded 0.4 for all items except the bathing item in PF (correlation: 0.31). In exploratory factor analysis, the US two-component model was supported. However, in confirmatory factor analysis, the Japanese three-component model fit the Tagalog data better than the US two-component model. Conclusions The Philippines (Tagalog) SF-36v2 is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring health status among residents of Makati City (Metro Manila) and Tanauan City (Province of Batangas). PMID:24386281

  17. Considerations of Dance Transmission Processes: Adapting Bharata Natyam in a Singapore Primary School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lum, Chee Hoo; Gonda, Donn Emmanuel

    2014-01-01

    This qualitative case study has, for its purpose, an examination of the pedagogies and practices of a master Bharata Natyam dance instructor working within a Singapore primary school context. It explores the instructor's adaptation within an after-school weekly activity of the South Indian traditional classical dance form. Considerations of dance…

  18. South Korea Powers Ahead with Globalization Plans

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McNeill, David

    2009-01-01

    For government officials in South Korea, it's a vision worth savoring: Within the next decade, South Korea becomes Southeast Asia's top higher-education destination, poaching thousands of Chinese, Indian, and Japanese students from American universities and overtaking rivals Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong. The higher-education system's…

  19. Philippines: Summary Report. Mapping out Disadvantaged Groups in Education. Asia-South Pacific Education Watch

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Guzman, Sylvia

    2007-01-01

    The Civil Society Network for Education Reforms (E-Net Philippines), a network of organizations pushing for Education for All, believes that years of underinvestment and neglect of the public education system have caused the country's dismal education performance. This critique provided a framework for engaging with DepEd and the Legislature,…

  20. Effect of economic growth and environmental quality on tourism in Southeast Asian Countries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Firmansyah

    2017-02-01

    The tourism is an important sector in generating income for a country, nevertheless, tourism is sensitive toward the changes in economy, as well as changes in environmental quality. By employing econometric models of error correction on annual data, this study examines the influence of environmental quality, domestic and global economic growth on foreign tourist arrivals in selected Southeast Asian countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, and Singapore. The findings of this study showed that all of countries long run model were proved statistically, indicated that world economic growth as well as environmental quality affect foreign tourism arrivals.

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

    PubMed

    Chen, H

    1996-01-01

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

  2. Emergency medicine as a specialty in Asia

    PubMed Central

    Ho, Hiu Fai; Ramakrishnan, T. V.; Jamaluddin, Sabariah Faizah; Mesa‐Gaerlan, Faith Joan C.; Tiru, Mohan; Hwang, Sung Oh; Choi, Wai‐Mau; Kanchanasut, Somchai; Khruekarnchana, Pairoj; Avsarogullari, Levent; Shimazu, Takeshi; Hori, Shingo

    2015-01-01

    Aim We aim to examine the similarities and differences in areas of EM development, workload, workforce, and capabilities and support in the Asia region. Emerging challenges faced by our EM community are also discussed. Methods The National Societies for Emergency Medicine of Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Turkey participated in the joint Japanese Association of Acute Medicine (JAAM) and Asian Conference of Emergency Medicine (ACEM) Special Symposium held in October 2013 at Tokyo, Japan. The findings are reviewed in this paper. Results Emergency medicine (EM) has over the years evolved into a distinct and recognized medical discipline requiring a unique set of cognitive, administrative and technical skills for managing all types of patients with acute illness or injury. EM has contributed to healthcare by providing effective, safe, efficient and cost‐effective patient care. Integrated systems have developed to allow continuity of emergency care from the community into emergency departments. Structured training curriculum for undergraduates, and specialty training programs for postgraduates are in place to equip trainees with the knowledge and skills required for the unique practice of EM. Conclusion The practice of EM still varies among the Asian countries. However, as a region, we strive to continue in our efforts to develop the specialty and improve the delivery of EM. PMID:29123755

  3. Emergency medicine as a specialty in Asia.

    PubMed

    Pek, Jen Heng; Lim, Swee Han; Ho, Hiu Fai; Ramakrishnan, T V; Jamaluddin, Sabariah Faizah; Mesa-Gaerlan, Faith Joan C; Tiru, Mohan; Hwang, Sung Oh; Choi, Wai-Mau; Kanchanasut, Somchai; Khruekarnchana, Pairoj; Avsarogullari, Levent; Shimazu, Takeshi; Hori, Shingo

    2016-04-01

    We aim to examine the similarities and differences in areas of EM development, workload, workforce, and capabilities and support in the Asia region. Emerging challenges faced by our EM community are also discussed. The National Societies for Emergency Medicine of Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Turkey participated in the joint Japanese Association of Acute Medicine (JAAM) and Asian Conference of Emergency Medicine (ACEM) Special Symposium held in October 2013 at Tokyo, Japan. The findings are reviewed in this paper. Emergency medicine (EM) has over the years evolved into a distinct and recognized medical discipline requiring a unique set of cognitive, administrative and technical skills for managing all types of patients with acute illness or injury. EM has contributed to healthcare by providing effective, safe, efficient and cost-effective patient care. Integrated systems have developed to allow continuity of emergency care from the community into emergency departments. Structured training curriculum for undergraduates, and specialty training programs for postgraduates are in place to equip trainees with the knowledge and skills required for the unique practice of EM. The practice of EM still varies among the Asian countries. However, as a region, we strive to continue in our efforts to develop the specialty and improve the delivery of EM.

  4. Estimating the future burden of multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis in India, the Philippines, Russia, and South Africa: a mathematical modelling study.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Aditya; Hill, Andrew; Kurbatova, Ekaterina; van der Walt, Martie; Kvasnovsky, Charlotte; Tupasi, Thelma E; Caoili, Janice C; Gler, Maria Tarcela; Volchenkov, Grigory V; Kazennyy, Boris Y; Demikhova, Olga V; Bayona, Jaime; Contreras, Carmen; Yagui, Martin; Leimane, Vaira; Cho, Sang Nae; Kim, Hee Jin; Kliiman, Kai; Akksilp, Somsak; Jou, Ruwen; Ershova, Julia; Dalton, Tracy; Cegielski, Peter

    2017-07-01

    Multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis are emerging worldwide. The Green Light Committee initiative supported programmatic management of drug-resistant tuberculosis in 90 countries. We used estimates from the Preserving Effective TB Treatment Study to predict MDR and XDR tuberculosis trends in four countries with a high burden of MDR tuberculosis: India, the Philippines, Russia, and South Africa. We calibrated a compartmental model to data from drug resistance surveys and WHO tuberculosis reports to forecast estimates of incident MDR and XDR tuberculosis and the percentage of incident MDR and XDR tuberculosis caused by acquired drug resistance, assuming no fitness cost of resistance from 2000 to 2040 in India, the Philippines, Russia, and South Africa. The model forecasted the percentage of MDR tuberculosis among incident cases of tuberculosis to increase, reaching 12·4% (95% prediction interval 9·4-16·2) in India, 8·9% (4·5-11·7) in the Philippines, 32·5% (27·0-35·8) in Russia, and 5·7% (3·0-7·6) in South Africa in 2040. It also predicted the percentage of XDR tuberculosis among incident MDR tuberculosis to increase, reaching 8·9% (95% prediction interval 5·1-12·9) in India, 9·0% (4·0-14·7) in the Philippines, 9·0% (4·8-14·2) in Russia, and 8·5% (2·5-14·7) in South Africa in 2040. Acquired drug resistance would cause less than 30% of incident MDR tuberculosis during 2000-40. Acquired drug resistance caused 80% of incident XDR tuberculosis in 2000, but this estimate would decrease to less than 50% by 2040. MDR and XDR tuberculosis were forecast to increase in all four countries despite improvements in acquired drug resistance shown by the Green Light Committee-supported programmatic management of drug-resistant tuberculosis. Additional control efforts beyond improving acquired drug resistance rates are needed to stop the spread of MDR and XDR tuberculosis in countries with a high burden of MDR tuberculosis. US Agency for International Development and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Tuberculosis Elimination. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. 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 Taiwan and Hong Kong but appeared to be greatest in people aged 15-24 y in Japan and people aged 25-64 y in the Republic of Korea. The lack of specific codes for charcoal-burning suicide in the International Classification of Diseases and variations in coding practice in different countries are potential limitations of this study. Charcoal-burning suicides increased markedly in some East/Southeast Asian countries (Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Singapore) in the first decade of the 21st century, but such rises were not experienced by all countries in the region. In countries with a rise in charcoal-burning suicide rates, the timing, scale, and sex/age pattern of increases varied by country. Factors underlying these variations require further investigation, but may include differences in culture or in media portrayals of the method. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.

  6. Plate tectonic reconstruction of South and East Asia since 43 Ma using seismic tomographic constraints: role of the subducted ';East Asia Sea' (Invited)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, J. E.; Suppe, J.; Renqi, L.; Kanda, R. V.

    2013-12-01

    Lithosphere that subducts at convergent plate boundaries provides a potentially decipherable plate tectonic record. In this study we use global seismic tomography to map subducted slabs in the upper and lower mantle under South and East Asia to constrain plate reconstructions. The mapped slabs include the Pacific, the Indian Ocean and Banda Sea, the Molucca Sea, Celebes Sea, the Philippine Sea and Eurasia, New Guinea and other lower mantle detached slabs. The mapped slabs were restored to the earth surface and used with Gplates software to constrain a globally-consistent, fully animated plate reconstruction of South and East Asia. Three principal slab elements dominate possible plate reconstructions: [1] The mapped Pacific slabs near the Izu-Bonin and the Marianas trenches form a subvertical slab curtain or wall extending down to 1500 km in the lower mantle. The ';slab curtain' geometry and restored slabs lengths indicate that the Pacific subduction zone has remained fixed within +/- 250 km of its present position since ~43 Ma. In contrast, the Tonga Pacific slab curtain records at least 1000 km trench rollback associated with expansion of back-arc basins. [2] West of the Pacific slab curtain, a set of flat slabs exist in the lower mantle and record a major 8000km by 2500-3000km ocean that existed at ~43 Ma. This now-subducted ocean, which we call the ';East Asian Sea', existed between the Ryukyu Asian margin and the Lord Howe hotspot, present-day eastern Australia, and fills a major gap in Cenozoic plate reconstructions between Indo-Australia, the Pacific Ocean and Asia. [3] An observed ';picture puzzle' fit between the restored edges of the Philippine Sea, Molucca Sea and Indian Ocean slabs suggests that the Philippine Sea was once part of a larger Indo-Australian Ocean. Previous models of Philippine Sea plate motions are in conflict with the location of the East Asian Sea lithosphere. Using the mapped slab constraints, we propose the following 43 Ma to 0 plate tectonic reconstruction. At ~43 Ma a major plate reorganization occurred in South and East Asia marked by Indian Ocean Wharton ridge extinction, initiation of Pacific Ocean WNW motions and the rapid northward motion of the Australian plate. The Philippine Sea and Molucca Sea were clustered at the northern margin of Australia, northwest of New Guinea. During the mid-Cenozoic these plates moved NNE with Australia, accommodated by N-S transforms at the eastern margin of Sundaland. The East Asian Sea was subducted under the northward-moving Philippine Sea and Australia plates, and the expanding Melanesian and Shikoku-Parece Vela backarc basins. At ~20 to 25 Ma the Philippine Sea and Molucca Sea were fragmented from Indo-Australia and began to have a westward component of motion due to partial Pacific capture. Around 1-2 Ma the Philippine Sea was more fully captured by the Pacific and now has rapid Pacific-like northwestward motions.

  7. Performance of technical trading rules: evidence from Southeast Asian stock markets.

    PubMed

    Tharavanij, Piyapas; Siraprapasiri, Vasan; Rajchamaha, Kittichai

    2015-01-01

    This paper examines the profitability of technical trading rules in the five Southeast Asian stock markets. The data cover a period of 14 years from January 2000 to December 2013. The instruments investigated are five Southeast Asian stock market indices: SET index (Thailand), FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLC index (Malaysia), FTSE Straits Times index (Singapore), JSX Composite index (Indonesia), and PSE composite index (the Philippines). Trading strategies investigated include Relative Strength Index, Stochastic oscillator, Moving Average Convergence-Divergence, Directional Movement Indicator and On Balance Volume. Performances are compared to a simple Buy-and-Hold. Statistical tests are also performed. Our empirical results show a strong performance of technical trading rules in an emerging stock market of Thailand but not in a more mature stock market of Singapore. The technical trading rules also generate statistical significant returns in the Malaysian, Indonesian and the Philippine markets. However, after taking transaction costs into account, most technical trading rules do not generate net returns. This fact suggests different levels of market efficiency among Southeast Asian stock markets. This paper finds three new insights. Firstly, technical indicators does not help much in terms of market timing. Basically, traders cannot expect to buy at a relative low price and sell at a relative high price by just using technical trading rules. Secondly, technical trading rules can be beneficial to individual investors as they help them to counter the behavioral bias called disposition effects which is the tendency to sell winning stocks too soon and holding on to losing stocks too long. Thirdly, even profitable strategies could not reliably predict subsequent market directions. They make money from having a higher average profit from profitable trades than an average loss from unprofitable ones.

  8. Philippines.

    PubMed

    1983-09-01

    This discussion of the Philippines focuses on the following: the people; geography; history; government; political conditions; economy (agriculture, mining, industry, and foreign trade); defense; foreign relations; and relations between the US and the Philippines. In 1982 the population was estimated at 51.6 million with an annual growth rate of 2.4%. The infant mortality rate was 59/1000 (1982), and life expectancy was 64 years (1981). The Philippine people are mostly of Malay stock, descended from the Indonesians and Malays who migrated to the islands long before the Christian era. The most significant ethnic minority group is the Chinese, who have played an important role in commerce since the 9th century, when they first came to the islands to trade. About 90% of the people are Christian. The Philippine Archipelago extends about 1770 kilometers north to south along the southeastern rim of Asia, forming a land chain between the Pacific Ocean on the east and the South China Sea on the west. The archipelago consists of some 7100 islands and islets. The history of the Philippines may be broken down into 4 distinct phases: the pre Spanish period, the Spanish period (1521-1898); the American period (1898-1946); and the years since independence (1946-present). A new constitution, to replace that of 1935, was completed by a constitutional convention in November 1972 and was proclaimed in effect in January 1973. The 1973 constitution provided for a parliamentary system, initially with extensive powers vested in a prime minister. Major amendments adopted in 1981 revised the system to make the president head of government. From independence of 1972, the Philippines practiced relatively traditional constiutional democracy. In addition to more moderate, legitimate opposition, the government has been opposed by 2 insurgencies, whose roots predated martial law, and by some urban terrorism. The Philippine economy grew rapidly during the period of rehabilitation and expansion after World War 2. The economy has performed below expectations in recent years. The gross national product (GNP) growth rate in 1982 ws 2.6%. Agriculture and forestry are the largest and most important sectors of the Philippines economy. The fishing industry is underdeveloped and cannot meet domestic needs. The Philippines has extensive proven and potential reserves of metallic and nonmetallic minerals. Industrial production has expanded and diversified steadily since World War 2. Foreign trade is of great importance to the Philippine economy. The armed forces of the Philippines have grown substantially in recent years, from about 60,000 troops in 1972 to 146,000 in 1983. Philippine foreign policy, at 1 time based largely on a "special relationship" with the US, has diversified over the past decade. US policy promotes a continued close association in many areas accompanied by a growing sense of equality and mutual recognition of each nation's independent interests.

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

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-04-15

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

  10. Human Dimensions of Asian Security,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1996-03-01

    begun to decline. The child depen- dency ratio is high. Public expenditures on education are increasing rapidly. The Philippines has high growth rates...Population growth and pressures 13 Impacts of changing demographic profiles 21 Overall dependency ratios and child dependency 21 The "youth bulge...Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines , and Vietnam in Southeast Asia; and Bangladesh and India in Indian Ocean/South Asia. The top demographic success

  11. ASEAN.

    PubMed

    1989-03-01

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

  12. Using Process Drama in Museum Theatre Educational Projects to Reconstruct Postcolonial Cultural Identities in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Wan-Jung

    2014-01-01

    Museums have been employing theatre activities in their educational programmes to outreach youngsters for more than three decades all over the world since the late 1980s; however, it is still quite a new experience for eastern and south-eastern Asian countries. In the past 3 years, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan started to use different forms of…

  13. Insights into the genetic structure and diversity of 38 South Asian Indians from deep whole-genome sequencing.

    PubMed

    Wong, Lai-Ping; Lai, Jason Kuan-Han; Saw, Woei-Yuh; Ong, Rick Twee-Hee; Cheng, Anthony Youzhi; Pillai, Nisha Esakimuthu; Liu, Xuanyao; Xu, Wenting; Chen, Peng; Foo, Jia-Nee; Tan, Linda Wei-Lin; Koo, Seok-Hwee; Soong, Richie; Wenk, Markus Rene; Lim, Wei-Yen; Khor, Chiea-Chuen; Little, Peter; Chia, Kee-Seng; Teo, Yik-Ying

    2014-05-01

    South Asia possesses a significant amount of genetic diversity due to considerable intergroup differences in culture and language. There have been numerous reports on the genetic structure of Asian Indians, although these have mostly relied on genotyping microarrays or targeted sequencing of the mitochondria and Y chromosomes. Asian Indians in Singapore are primarily descendants of immigrants from Dravidian-language-speaking states in south India, and 38 individuals from the general population underwent deep whole-genome sequencing with a target coverage of 30X as part of the Singapore Sequencing Indian Project (SSIP). The genetic structure and diversity of these samples were compared against samples from the Singapore Sequencing Malay Project and populations in Phase 1 of the 1,000 Genomes Project (1 KGP). SSIP samples exhibited greater intra-population genetic diversity and possessed higher heterozygous-to-homozygous genotype ratio than other Asian populations. When compared against a panel of well-defined Asian Indians, the genetic makeup of the SSIP samples was closely related to South Indians. However, even though the SSIP samples clustered distinctly from the Europeans in the global population structure analysis with autosomal SNPs, eight samples were assigned to mitochondrial haplogroups that were predominantly present in Europeans and possessed higher European admixture than the remaining samples. An analysis of the relative relatedness between SSIP with two archaic hominins (Denisovan, Neanderthal) identified higher ancient admixture in East Asian populations than in SSIP. The data resource for these samples is publicly available and is expected to serve as a valuable complement to the South Asian samples in Phase 3 of 1 KGP.

  14. Rigid and non-rigid micro-plates: Philippines and Myanmar-Andaman case studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rangin, Claude

    2016-01-01

    Generally, tectonic plates are considered as rigid. Oblique plate convergence favors the development of micro-plates along the converging boundaries. The north-south-trending Philippines archipelago (here named Philippine Mobile Belt, PMB), a few hundreds kilometers wide, is one of such complex tectonic zones. We show here that it is composed of rigid rotating crustal blocks (here called platelets). In Myanmar, the northernmost tip of the Sumatra-Andaman subduction system is another complex zone made of various crustal blocks in-between convergent plates. Yet, contrary to PMB, it sustains internal deformation with platelet buckling, altogether indicative of a non-rigid behavior. Therefore, the two case studies, Philippine Mobile Belt and Myanmar-Andaman micro-plate (MAS), illustrate the complexity of micro-plate tectonics and kinematics at convergent plate boundaries.

  15. 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.

  16. Looking back to move forward: a twenty-year audit of herpes zoster in Asia-Pacific.

    PubMed

    Chen, Liang-Kung; Arai, Hidenori; Chen, Liang-Yu; Chou, Ming-Yueh; Djauzi, Samsuridjal; Dong, Birong; Kojima, Taro; Kwon, Ki Tae; Leong, Hoe Nam; Leung, Edward M F; Liang, Chih-Kuang; Liu, Xiaohong; Mathai, Dilip; Pan, Jiun Yit; Peng, Li-Ning; Poblete, Eduardo Rommel S; Poi, Philip J H; Reid, Stewart; Tantawichien, Terapong; Won, Chang Won

    2017-03-15

    Herpes zoster (HZ) is a prevalent viral disease that inflicts substantial morbidity and associated healthcare and socioeconomic burdens. Current treatments are not fully effective, especially among the most vulnerable patients. Although widely recommended, vaccination against HZ is not routine; barriers in Asia-Pacific include long-standing neglect of adult immunisation and sparse local data. To address knowledge gaps, raise awareness, and disseminate best practice, we reviewed recent data and guidelines on HZ from the Asia-Pacific region. We searched PubMed, Scopus, and World Health Organization databases for articles about HZ published from 1994 to 2014 by authors from Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. We selected articles about epidemiology, burden, complications, comorbidities, management, prevention, and recommendations/guidelines. Internet searches retrieved additional HZ immunisation guidelines. From 4007 retrieved articles, we screened-out 1501 duplicates and excluded 1264 extraneous articles, leaving 1242 unique articles. We found guidelines on adult immunisation from Australia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Korea, and Thailand. HZ epidemiology in Asia-Pacific is similar to elsewhere; incidence rises with age and peaks at around 70 years - lifetime risk is approximately one-third. Average incidence of 3-10/1000 person-years is rising at around 5% per year. The principal risk factors are immunosenescence and immunosuppression. HZ almost always causes pain, and post-herpetic neuralgia is its most common complication. Half or more of hospitalised HZ patients have post-herpetic neuralgia, secondary infections, or inflammatory sequelae that are occasionally fatal. These disease burdens severely diminish patients' quality of life and incur heavy healthcare utilisation. Several countries have abundant data on HZ, but others, especially in South-East Asia, very few. However, Asia-Pacific countries generally lack data on HZ vaccine safety, efficacy and cost-effectiveness. Physicians treating HZ and its complications in Asia-Pacific face familiar challenges but, with a vast aged population, Asia bears a unique and growing burden of disease. Given the strong rationale for prevention, most adult immunisation guidelines include HZ vaccine, yet it remains underused. We urge all stakeholders to give higher priority to adult immunisation in general and HZ in particular.

  17. Regional air pollution over Malaysia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krysztofiak, G.; Catoire, V.; Dorf, M.; Grossmann, K.; Hamer, P. D.; Marécal, V.; Reiter, A.; Schlager, H.; Eckhardt, S.; Jurkat, T.; Oram, D.; Quack, B.; Atlas, E.; Pfeilsticker, K.

    2012-12-01

    During the SHIVA (Stratospheric Ozone: Halogen Impacts in a Varying Atmosphere) campaign in Nov. and Dec. 2011 a number of polluted air masses were observed in the marine and terrestrial boundary layer (0 - 2 km) and in the free troposphere (2 - 12 km) over Borneo/Malaysia. The measurements include isoprene, CO, CO2, CH4, N2O, NO2, SO2 as primary pollutants, O3 and HCHO as secondary pollutants, and meteorological parameters. This set of trace gases can be used to fingerprint different sources of local and regional air pollution (e.g., biomass burning and fossil fuel burning, gas flaring on oil rigs, emission of ships and from urban areas, volcanic emissions, and biogenic emissions). Individual sources and location can be identified when the measurements are combined with a nested-grid regional scale chemical and meteorological model and lagrangian particle dispersion model (e.g., CCATT-BRAMS and FLEXPART). In the case of the former, emission inventories of the primary pollutants provide the basis for the trace gas simulations. In this region, the anthropogenic influence on air pollution seems to dominate over natural causes. For example, CO2 and CH4 often show strong correlations with CO, suggesting biomass burning or urban fossil fuel combustion dominates the combustion sources. The study of the CO/CO2 and CH4/CO ratios can help separate anthropogenic combustion from biomass burning pollution sources. In addition, these ratios can be used as a measure of combustion efficiency to help place the type of biomass burning particular to this region within the wider context of fire types found globally. On several occasions, CH4 enhancements are observed near the ocean surface, which are not directly correlated with CO enhancements thus indicating a non-combustion-related CH4 source. Positive correlations between SO2 and CO show the anthropogenic influence of oil rigs located in the South China Sea. Furthermore, SO2 enhancements are observed without any increase in CO, indicating possible volcanic emissions from the Indonesian islands to the South and East and the Philippines to the North East. The regional pollution seems to be influenced by emissions from Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia and Peninsula Malaysia, and on occasion by anthropogenic emissions from Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, and China.

  18. Empirical measurement of illicit tobacco trade in the Philippines

    PubMed Central

    Abola, Victor; Sy, Deborah; Denniston, Ryan; So, Anthony

    2015-01-01

    Cigarette smuggling reduces the price of cigarettes, thwarts youth access restrictions, reduces government revenue, and undercuts the ability of taxes to reduce consumption. The tobacco industry often opposes increases to tobacco taxes on the claim that greater taxes induce more smuggling. To date, little is known about the magnitude of smuggling in the Philippines. his information is necessary to effectively address illicit trade and to measure the impacts of tax changes and the introduction of secure tax markings on illicit trade. This study employs two gap discrepancy methods to estimate the magnitude of illicit trade in cigarettes for the Philippines between 1994 and 2009. First, domestic consumption is compared with tax-paid sales to measure the consumption of illicit cigarettes. Second, imports recorded by the Philippines are compared with exports to the Philippines by trade partners to measure smuggling. Domestic consumption fell short of tax-paid sales for all survey years. The magnitude of these differences and a comparison with a prevalence survey for 2009 suggest a high level of survey under-reporting of smoking. In the late 1990s and the mid 2000s, the Philippines experienced two sharp declines in trade discrepancies, from a high of $750 million in 1995 to a low of $133.7 million in 2008. Discrepancies composed more than one-third of the domestic market in 1995, but only 10 percent in 2009. Hong Kong, Singapore, and China together account for more than 80 percent of the cumulative discrepancies over the period and 74 percent of the discrepancy in 2009. The presence of large discrepancies supports the need to implement an effective tax marking and tobacco track and trace system to reduce illicit trade and support tax collection. The absence of a relation between tax changes and smuggling suggests that potential increases in the excise tax should not be discouraged by illicit trade. Finally, the identification of specific trade partners as primary sources for illicit trade may facilitate targeted efforts in cooperation with these governments to reduce illicit trade. PMID:26855640

  19. Empirical measurement of illicit tobacco trade in the Philippines.

    PubMed

    Abola, Victor; Sy, Deborah; Denniston, Ryan; So, Anthony

    2014-12-01

    Cigarette smuggling reduces the price of cigarettes, thwarts youth access restrictions, reduces government revenue, and undercuts the ability of taxes to reduce consumption. The tobacco industry often opposes increases to tobacco taxes on the claim that greater taxes induce more smuggling. To date, little is known about the magnitude of smuggling in the Philippines. his information is necessary to effectively address illicit trade and to measure the impacts of tax changes and the introduction of secure tax markings on illicit trade. This study employs two gap discrepancy methods to estimate the magnitude of illicit trade in cigarettes for the Philippines between 1994 and 2009. First, domestic consumption is compared with tax-paid sales to measure the consumption of illicit cigarettes. Second, imports recorded by the Philippines are compared with exports to the Philippines by trade partners to measure smuggling. Domestic consumption fell short of tax-paid sales for all survey years. The magnitude of these differences and a comparison with a prevalence survey for 2009 suggest a high level of survey under-reporting of smoking. In the late 1990s and the mid 2000s, the Philippines experienced two sharp declines in trade discrepancies, from a high of $750 million in 1995 to a low of $133.7 million in 2008. Discrepancies composed more than one-third of the domestic market in 1995, but only 10 percent in 2009. Hong Kong, Singapore, and China together account for more than 80 percent of the cumulative discrepancies over the period and 74 percent of the discrepancy in 2009. The presence of large discrepancies supports the need to implement an effective tax marking and tobacco track and trace system to reduce illicit trade and support tax collection. The absence of a relation between tax changes and smuggling suggests that potential increases in the excise tax should not be discouraged by illicit trade. Finally, the identification of specific trade partners as primary sources for illicit trade may facilitate targeted efforts in cooperation with these governments to reduce illicit trade.

  20. 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

  1. Methodology of the Singapore Indian Chinese Cohort (SICC) eye study: quantifying ethnic variations in the epidemiology of eye diseases in Asians.

    PubMed

    Lavanya, Raghavan; Jeganathan, V Swetha E; Zheng, Yingfeng; Raju, Prema; Cheung, Ning; Tai, E Shyong; Wang, Jie Jin; Lamoureux, Ecosse; Mitchell, Paul; Young, Terri L; Cajucom-Uy, Howard; Foster, Paul J; Aung, Tin; Saw, Seang Mei; Wong, Tien Y

    2009-01-01

    Current knowledge of ethnic variability in the epidemiology of major eye diseases in Asia is limited. This report summarizes the rationale and study design of the Singapore Indian Chinese Cohort (SICC) Eye Study, a population-based study of ethnic South Asian (Indians) and East Asian (Chinese) older adults in Singapore. The SICC examined a population-based cross-sectional sample of 3,300 ethnic Indians and 3,300 ethnic Chinese aged 40-80+ years residing in the South-Western part of Singapore. From two lists of 12,000 names of each ethnic group provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs, age-stratified random sampling was used to select 6,350 names in each group, with a target sample size of 3,300. Invitations were sent to attend a central clinic using letters, telephone calls and home visits. Examination procedures included interviews, measurement of blood pressure, anthropometry, presenting and best-corrected visual acuity, subjective refraction, ocular biometry, Goldmann applanation tonometry, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, optic disc imaging and digital photography of the lens and retina, using a standardized protocol. Selected participants underwent gonioscopic examination, visual field testing, and anterior and posterior segment optical coherence tomography. Blood, tear, and urine samples were collected for biochemical analyses, and stored for genetic and proteomic studies. In conjunction with the Singapore Malay Eye Study, the SICC study will permit an in-depth evaluation of the prevalence, risk factors, and impact of major eye diseases in Chinese, Indians and Malays, three distinct Asian ethnic groups, whose combined numbers represent half the world's population.

  2. Sculpting the Philippine archipelago since the Cretaceous through rifting, oceanic spreading, subduction, obduction, collision and strike-slip faulting: Contribution to IGMA5000

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aurelio, Mario A.; Peña, Rolando E.; Taguibao, Kristine Joy L.

    2013-08-01

    The Philippine archipelago resulted from a complex series of geologic events that involved continental rifting, oceanic spreading, subduction, ophiolite obduction, arc-continent collision, intra-arc basin formation and strike-slip faulting. It can be divided into two tectono-stratigraphic blocks, namely; the Palawan-Mindoro Continental Block (PCB) and the Philippine Mobile Belt (PMB). The PCB was originally a part of the Asian mainland that was rifted away during the Mesozoic and drifted in the course of the opening of the South China Sea (SCS) during Late Paleogene. On the other hand, the PMB developed mainly from island arcs and ophiolite terranes that started to form during the Cretaceous. At present, the PMB collides with the PCB in the Visayas in the central-western Philippines. This paper discusses recent updates on Philippine geology and tectonics as contribution to the establishment of the International Geologic Map of Asia at 1:5 M scale (IGMA5000).

  3. Regional Impact on Pollution Event in the Upper Troposphere during CARIBIC Flights between South China and the Philippines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lai, S. C.; Baker, A. R.; Schuck, T. J.; van Velthoven, P.; Oram, D. E.; Zahn, A.; Hermann, M.; Weigelt, A.; Slemr, S.; Brenninkmeijer, C. A. M.

    2010-05-01

    The research project CARIBIC (Civil Aircraft for the Regular Investigation of the atmosphere Based on an Instrumented Container, phase II) is designed to conduct regular, long-term and detailed observations of the free troposphere and UT/LS regions where passenger aircraft happen to cruise. A fully-automated measurement container (1.5 tons) was equipped onboard an Airbus 340-600 operated by Lufthansa Airlines during regular passenger flights to conduct real time trace gas and aerosol measurements and to collect aerosol and air samples on a near monthly basis. During May 2005 - March 2008, CARIBIC observations have been performed along the flight tracks of Frankfurt-Guangzhou-Manila. Data have been collected in the upper troposphere during a total of 81 flights over the region between South China and the Philippines. Carbon monoxide was used an indicator to identify the pollution events and to access the regional impacts of fossil fuel burning and biomass/biofuel burning on upper tropospheric air. Five regions, i.e. Northeast Asia, South China, Indochina Peninsula, India and Indonesia/Philippines, are identified as the major source regions to be related to the observed pollution events. The characteristics of the events from these regions are investigated. The contributions of different source categories are also estimated.

  4. Four New Species of Nepenthes L. (Nepenthaceae) from the Central Mountains of Mindanao, Philippines.

    PubMed

    Gronemeyer, Thomas; Coritico, Fulgent; Wistuba, Andreas; Marwinski, David; Gieray, Tobias; Micheler, Marius; Mey, François Sockhom; Amoroso, Victor

    2014-06-06

    Together with the islands of Sumatra (Indonesia) and Borneo (Indonesia, Malaysia), the Philippines are the main center of diversity for carnivorous pitcher plants of the genus, Nepenthes L. Nepenthes are the largest of all carnivorous plants, and the species with the biggest pitchers are capable of trapping and digesting small amphibians and even mammals. The central cordillera of Mindanao Island in the south of the Philippines is mostly covered with old, primary forest and is the largest remaining cohesive, untouched area of wilderness in the Philippines. In a recent field exploration of two areas of the central cordillera, namely Mount Sumagaya and a section of the Pantaron range, four new taxa of Nepenthes were discovered. These four remarkable new species, N. pantaronensis, N. cornuta, N. talaandig and N. amabilis, are described, illustrated and assessed.

  5. Tropical cyclone influence on the long-term variability of Philippine summer monsoon onset

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kubota, Hisayuki; Shirooka, Ryuichi; Matsumoto, Jun; Cayanan, Esperanza O.; Hilario, Flaviana D.

    2017-12-01

    The long-term variability of Philippine summer monsoon onset from 1903 to 2013 was investigated. The onset date is defined by daily rainfall data at eight stations in the northwestern Philippines. Summer monsoons tended to start earlier in May after the mid-1990s. Other early onset periods were found during the 1900s, 1920s, and 1930s, and an interdecadal variability of summer monsoon onset was identified. Independent surface wind data observed by ships in the South China Sea (SCS) revealed prevailing westerly wind in May during the early monsoon onset period. To identify atmospheric structures that trigger Philippine summer monsoon onset, we focused on the year 2013, conducting intensive upper-air observations. Tropical cyclone (TC) Yagi traveled northward in the Philippine Sea (PS) in 2013 and triggered the Philippine monsoon onset by intensifying moist low-level southwesterly wind in the southwestern Philippines and intensifying low-level southerly wind after the monsoon onset in the northwestern Philippines. The influence of TC was analyzed by the probability of the existence of TC in the PS and the SCS since 1951, which was found to be significantly correlated with the Philippine summer monsoon onset date. After the mid-1990s, early monsoon onset was influenced by active TC formation in the PS and the SCS. However, the role of TC activity decreased during the late summer monsoon periods. In general, it was found that TC activity in the PS and the SCS plays a key role in initiating Philippine summer monsoon onset. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  6. A paradigm shift in regulating and running nursing homes in Singapore.

    PubMed

    Wong, Gabriel H Z; Pang, Weng Sun; Yap, Philip

    2014-06-01

    Singapore faces a rapidly aging population. By 2030, 19% of her population will be aged 65 years and above. Other Asian countries face similar problems, with South Korea having the fastest aging population worldwide, followed by China and Thailand. With Singapore possessing an advanced aging population, its policy provides a useful case study of eldercare to cater to evolving population demographics. This article will focus specifically on nursing homes and analyze current policies toward them, synthesize recommendations to improve long-term care, and justify a paradigm shift toward more holistic, humanistic, and multidimensional care. Copyright © 2014 American Medical Directors Association, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Plate convergence and deformation, North Luzon Ridge, Philippines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lewis, Stephen D.; Hayes, Dennis E.

    1989-10-01

    Marine geophysical and earthquake seismology data indicate that the North Luzon Ridge, a volcano-capped bathymetrie ridge system that extends between Luzon and Taiwan, is presently undergoing deformation in response to the relative motion between the Asian and Philippine Sea plates. Plate motion models predict convergence along the western side of the Philippine Sea plate, from Japan in the north to Indonesia in the south, and most of this plate margin is defined by active subduction zones. However, the western boundary of the Philippine Sea plate adjacent to the North Luzon Ridge shows no evidence of an active WNW-dipping subduction zone; this is in marked contrast to the presence of both the Philippine Trench/East Luzon Trough subduction zones to the south and the Ryukyu Trench subduction zone to the north. Crustal shortening, in response to ongoing plate convergence in the North Luzon Ridge region, apparently takes place through a complex pattern of strike-slip and thrust faulting, rather than by the typical subduction of oceanic lithosphere along a discreet zone. The curvilinear bathymetrie trends within the North Luzon Ridge represent the traces of active faults. The distribution of these faults, mapped by both multichannel and single-channel seismic reflection methods and earthquake seismicity patterns and focal mechanism solutions, suggest that right-lateral, oblique-slip faulting occurs along NE-trending faults, and left-lateral, oblique-slip faulting takes place on N- and NNW-trending faults. The relative plate convergence accommodated by the deformation of the North Luzon Ridge will probably be taken up in the future by the northward-propagating East Luzon Trough subduction zone.

  8. Sri Lankan FRAX model and country-specific intervention thresholds.

    PubMed

    Lekamwasam, Sarath

    2013-01-01

    There is a wide variation in fracture probabilities estimated by Asian FRAX models, although the outputs of South Asian models are concordant. Clinicians can choose either fixed or age-specific intervention thresholds when making treatment decisions in postmenopausal women. Cost-effectiveness of such approach, however, needs to be addressed. This study examined suitable fracture probability intervention thresholds (ITs) for Sri Lanka, based on the Sri Lankan FRAX model. Fracture probabilities were estimated using all Asian FRAX models for a postmenopausal woman of BMI 25 kg/m² and has no clinical risk factors apart from a fragility fracture, and they were compared. Age-specific ITs were estimated based on the Sri Lankan FRAX model using the method followed by the National Osteoporosis Guideline Group in the UK. Using the age-specific ITs as the reference standard, suitable fixed ITs were also estimated. Fracture probabilities estimated by different Asian FRAX models varied widely. Japanese and Taiwan models showed higher fracture probabilities while Chinese, Philippine, and Indonesian models gave lower fracture probabilities. Output of remaining FRAX models were generally similar. Age-specific ITs of major osteoporotic fracture probabilities (MOFP) based on the Sri Lankan FRAX model varied from 2.6 to 18% between 50 and 90 years. ITs of hip fracture probabilities (HFP) varied from 0.4 to 6.5% between 50 and 90 years. In finding fixed ITs, MOFP of 11% and HFP of 3.5% gave the lowest misclassification and highest agreement. Sri Lankan FRAX model behaves similar to other Asian FRAX models such as Indian, Singapore-Indian, Thai, and South Korean. Clinicians may use either the fixed or age-specific ITs in making therapeutic decisions in postmenopausal women. The economical aspects of such decisions, however, need to be considered.

  9. 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 rate did not differ by sex/age group in Taiwan and Hong Kong but appeared to be greatest in people aged 15–24 y in Japan and people aged 25–64 y in the Republic of Korea. The lack of specific codes for charcoal-burning suicide in the International Classification of Diseases and variations in coding practice in different countries are potential limitations of this study. Conclusions Charcoal-burning suicides increased markedly in some East/Southeast Asian countries (Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Singapore) in the first decade of the 21st century, but such rises were not experienced by all countries in the region. In countries with a rise in charcoal-burning suicide rates, the timing, scale, and sex/age pattern of increases varied by country. Factors underlying these variations require further investigation, but may include differences in culture or in media portrayals of the method. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary PMID:24691071

  10. Cryptic genetic diversity in the mottled rabbitfish Siganus fuscescens with mitochondrial introgression at a contact zone in the South China Sea.

    PubMed

    Ravago-Gotanco, Rachel; de la Cruz, Talna Lorena; Pante, Ma Josefa; Borsa, Philippe

    2018-01-01

    The taxonomy of the mottled rabbitfish Siganus fuscescens species complex has long been challenging. In this study, we analyzed microsatellite genotypes, mitochondrial lineages, and morphometric data from 373 S. fuscescens individuals sampled from the northern Philippines and Hong Kong (South China Sea, Philippine Sea and Sulu Sea basins), to examine putative species boundaries in samples comprising three co-occurring mitochondrial lineages previously reported to characterize S. fuscescens (Clade A and Clade B) or S. canaliculatus (Clade C). We report the existence of two cryptic species within S. fuscescens in the northeast region of the South China Sea and northern Philippine Sea, supported by genetic and morphological differences. Individual-based assignment methods recovered concordant groupings of individuals into two nuclear genotype clusters (Cluster 1, Cluster 2) with (1) limited gene flow, if any, between them (FST = 0.241; P < 0.001); (2) low frequency of later-generation hybrids; (3) significant association with mitochondrial Clade A and Clade B, respectively; and (4) subtle yet significant body shape differences as inferred from geometric morphometric analysis. The divergence between mitochondrial Clade C and the two other clades was not matched by genetic differences at microsatellite marker loci. The occurrence of discordant mitonuclear combinations (20.5% of the total number of individuals) is thought to result from mitochondrial introgression, consistent with a scenario of demographic, and presumably spatial, post-Pleistocene expansion of populations from northern regions into a secondary contact zone in the South China Sea. Mitonuclear discordance due to introgression obscures phylogenetic relationships for recently-diverged lineages, and cautions against the use of mitochondrial markers alone for species identification within the mottled rabbitfish species complex in the South China Sea region.

  11. Water-Recycling in South-East Queensland, Australia: What Do Men and Women Think?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, Evonne; Buys, Laurie

    2008-01-01

    In January 2007, South-East Queensland became the first region in Australia to formally decide to introduce recycled water into the drinking supplies. Internationally, although water recycling occurs in the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore and Belgium, surprisingly little is known about public perceptions. This article explores gender…

  12. 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

  13. Quality of life of family caregivers of cancer patients in Singapore and globally.

    PubMed

    Lim, Haikel A; Tan, Joyce Ys; Chua, Joanne; Yoong, Russell Kl; Lim, Siew Eng; Kua, Ee Heok; Mahendran, Rathi

    2017-05-01

    Family caregivers of cancer patients often suffer from impaired quality of life (QOL) due to stress arising from the responsibility of caregiving. Most research on such QOL impairments was conducted in Western populations. Thus, this exploratory study sought to (a) examine the QOL levels of family caregivers of cancer patients in an Asian population in Singapore, in relation to caregivers from other countries within and outside of Asia; and (b) investigate the association between sociodemographic factors and QOL impairments in family caregivers in Singapore. A total of 258 family caregivers of cancer patients who were receiving outpatient treatment completed the Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer (CQOLC) and a sociodemographic survey. We compared the published CQOLC total scores from Turkey, Iran, Taiwan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada with the Singapore dataset and examined the demographic relationships. Caregivers in Singapore and Asia had lower CQOLC total scores than their Western counterparts. Caregivers who were male, of Chinese ethnicity, had parental relationships with their care recipient, or cared for advanced-stage cancer patients were found to have impaired QOL. The findings of this study highlight possible areas in which support can be provided for family caregivers of cancer patients, and underscore the need to reconcile cultural diversity, values, societal expectations and demographic characteristics in Singapore. Copyright: © Singapore Medical Association

  14. Regional Stratification and Shear of the Various Streams Feeding the Philippine Straits

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-01-01

    Feeding the Philippine Straits Arnold L. Gordon Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory 61 Route 9W Palisades , NY 10964-8000 tele: 845 365-8325 fax...Observatory,61 Route 9W, Palisades ,NY,10964-8000 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES...The Mindanao Jet flows into the Sulu Sea. To the south of the Mindanao Jet, near 124°E is a persistent cyclonic flowing circulation cell , dubbed the

  15. Polychaete species (Annelida) described from the Philippine and China Seas.

    PubMed

    Salazar-Vallejo, Sergio I; Carrera-Parra, Luis F; Muir, Alexander I; De León-González, Jesús Angel; Piotrowski, Christina; Sato, Masanori

    2014-07-30

    The South China and Philippine Seas are among the most diverse regions in the Western Pacific. Although there are several local polychaete checklists available, there is none comprising the whole of this region. Presented herein is a comprehensive list of the original names of all polychaete species described from the region. The list contains 1037 species, 345 genera and 60 families; the type locality, type depository, and information regarding synonymy are presented for each species. 

  16. Neurosurgery certification in member societies of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies: Asia.

    PubMed

    Gasco, Jaime; Braun, Jonathan D; McCutcheon, Ian E; Black, Peter M

    2011-01-01

    To objectively compare the complexity and diversity of the certification process in neurological surgery in member societies of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies. This study centers in continental Asia. We provide here an analysis based on the responses provided to a 13-item survey. The data received were analyzed, and three Regional Complexity Scores (RCS) were designed. To compare national board experience, eligibility requirements for access to the certification process, and the obligatory nature of the examinations, an RCS-Organizational score was created (20 points maximum). To analyze the complexity of the examination, an RCS-Components score was designed (20 points maximum). The sum of both is presented in a Global RCS score. Only those countries that responded to the survey and presented nationwide homogeneity in the conduction of neurosurgery examinations could be included within the scoring system. In addition, a descriptive summary of the certification process per responding society is also provided. On the basis of the data provided by our RCS system, the highest global RCS was achieved by South Korea and Malaysia (21/40 points) followed by the joint examination of Singapore and Hong-Kong (FRCS-Ed) (20/40 points), Japan (17/40 points), the Philippines (15/40 points), and Taiwan (13 points). The experience from these leading countries should be of value to all countries within Asia. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Mass communication in Asia and the Pacific. Recent trends and developments.

    PubMed

    Lent, J A

    1989-01-01

    1 of the current trends in Asian mass communication discernbile in 1964-65 was mass media evolution as a big business. 25 years ago the makings of big business journalism already were evident. At this time, Asia is deeply involved in corporate journalism, and in recent years newspaper groups have become affiliated with multinational corporations such as Dow Jones and Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Combines of government, local business, and regional conglomerates have purchased chunks of broadcast stations and newspapers in at least Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and India. Although government control of mass media is not new to Asia, the manner of control differs from 25 years ago. Overt repressive actions still persist but not as frequently or blatantly as a generation ago. Less noisy forms of control are preferred in many countries, which resort to suspensions, arrests, or direct censorship when subtle means are ineffective. An irony of Asian mass communication is that authorities do not always shut out more pernicious outside channels and messages, while rather effectively curbing the foreign media's role in and impact upon their societies. The speed with which much of the new technology has been introduced and expanded in Asia has brought undesired consequences, e.g., much dialogue previously focused on development journalism, ethics, or freedom of expression has shifted to information hardware.

  18. [A city for the elderly: research into new technologies in Singapore].

    PubMed

    Clavier, Fabien

    2017-01-01

    A city-state located at the heart of South East Asia, Singapore is now facing an accelerated ageing of the population, resulting from a very good health care coverage and a very low birth rate. A team of researchers from the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) is exploring the use of new technologies to improve the quality of life of elderly people in towns and cities and anticipate their health risks. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  19. Hazardous waste management in the Pacific basin

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

    Cirillo, R.R.; Chiu, S.; Chun, K.C.

    1994-11-01

    Hazardous waste control activities in Asia and the Pacific have been reviewed. The review includes China (mainland, Hong Kong, and Taiwan), Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. It covers the sources of hazardous waste, the government structure for dealing with hazardous waste, and current hazardous waste control activities in each country. In addition, the hazardous waste program activities of US government agencies, US private-sector organizations, and international organizations are reviewed. The objective of these reviews is to provide a comprehensive picture of the current hazardous waste problems and the waste management approaches being used tomore » address them so that new program activities can be designed more efficiently.« less

  20. China’s Exchange Rate Peg: Economic Issues and Options for U.S. Trade Policy

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-05-10

    in 2004) and has hurt U.S. production and employment in several U.S. manufacturing sectors (such as textiles and apparel and furniture) that are forced...countries is mixed. From 1980 to 1997, Korea, Malaysia , Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand typically ran current account deficits, while Hong Kong...64.0 73.9 7.9 China 8.3 8.2 12.0 18.7 29.5 255.4 Malaysia 4.9 5/0 7.1 8.0 8.7 77.6 Mexico 6.9 8.5 7.9 7.0 7.4 7.2 Singapore 8.7 7.1 7.1 6.9 6.6 -24.1

  1. Concomitant preterm birth and severe small-for-gestational age birth weight among infants of immigrant mothers in Ontario originating from the Philippines and East Asia: a population-based study

    PubMed Central

    Bartsch, Emily; Park, Alison L; Jairam, Jennifer; Ray, Joel G

    2017-01-01

    Objectives Women from the Philippines form one of the largest immigrant groups to North America. Their newborns experience higher rates of preterm birth (PTB), and separately, small-for-gestational age (SGA) birth weight, compared with other East Asians. It is not known if Filipino women are at elevated risk of concomitant PTB and severe SGA (PTB–SGA), a pathological state likely reflective of placental dysfunction and neonatal morbidity. Methods We conducted a population-based study of all singleton or twin live births in Ontario, from 2002 to 2011, among immigrant mothers from the Philippines (n=27 946), Vietnam (n=15 297), Hong Kong (n=5618), South Korea (n=5148) and China (n=42 517). We used modified Poisson regression to generate relative risks (RR) of PTB-SGA, defined as a birth <37 weeks’ gestation and a birth weight <5th percentile. RRs were adjusted for maternal age, parity, marital status, income quintile, infant sex and twin births. Results Relative to mothers from China (2.3 per 1000), the rate of PTB–SGA was significantly higher among infants of mothers from the Philippines (6.5 per 1000; RR 2.91, 95% CI 2.27 to 3.73), and those from Vietnam (3.7 per 1000; RR 1.68, 95% CI 1.21 to 2.34). The RR of PTB–SGA was not higher for infants of mothers from Hong Kong or South Korea. Interpretation Among infants born to immigrant women from five East Asian birthplaces, the risk of PTB–SGA was highest among those from the Philippines. These women and their fetuses may require additional monitoring and interventions. PMID:28720616

  2. Who are the Philippine negritos? Evidence from language.

    PubMed

    Reid, Lawrence A

    2013-01-01

    This article addresses the linguistic evidence from which details about Philippine "negritos" can be inferred. This evidence comes from the naming practices of both negrito and non-negrito peoples, from which it can be inferred that many negrito groups have maintained a unique identity distinct from other groups since the dispersal of Malayo-Polynesian languages. Other names, such as Dupaningan and Dumagat, reference locations, from which it is assumed the negritos left after contact with Malayo-Polynesian people. Evidence also comes from the relative positions of negrito groups vis-à-vis other groups within the subfamily with which their current language can be grouped. Many of these languages can be shown to be first order branches, suggesting early separation from the people whose languages they first acquired. The geospatial distribution of the northern languages of the Philippines closely matches the proposed dispersal routes of early Malayo-Polynesian peoples into the Cagayan River Valley and up the Chico and Magat tributaries from which negrito groups were displaced. One lexical item that is discussed is the word for the traditionally widespread practice of head-hunting, the term for which is reconstructible to Proto-Austronesian with reflexes throughout the Philippines and countries to the south. The practice was probably associated with agriculture and not only may have contributed to the early rapid spread south of Malayo-Polynesian languages through the Philippines and ultimately into the Pacific but also was later a major factor in the long periods of isolation of negrito peoples, during which the languages they had first acquired became very different from that of their former neighbors. Copyright © 2013 Wayne State University Press, Detroit, Michigan 48201-1309.

  3. Transnational Corporations as Educational Institutions for National Development: The Contrasting Cases of Mexico and South Korea

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanson, Mark

    2006-01-01

    Economic development in South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Ireland has accelerated dramatically since the 1960s, as it has in China more recently. These areas share a common element in their development strategies--the aggressive pursuit, acquisition, and incorporation of knowledge from industrialized nations. In this article, the…

  4. The Strategic Positioning of Australian Research Universities in the East Asian Region

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marginson, Simon

    2015-01-01

    Regional tendencies in higher education are increasingly important, for example the common rise of North-East Asian universities in China, Hong Kong SAR, Taiwan and South Korea, and Singapore in South-East Asia, to a major global role, following the prior trajectory of Japan. Though the rapidly modernizing Post-Confucian countries do not…

  5. China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities - Background and Issues for Congress

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-10-18

    to coordinate all these forces in two major simultaneous operations: (1) to bring Taiwan to its knees and (2) cause the U.S. to be tardy , indecisive...in theory, include South Korea (where other U.S. forces have been based for years), the Philippines (where the U.S. Navy ships used as a major repair...and transportation. These effects cannot easily be localized to Taiwan and would likely affect the mainland, Japan, the Philippines , and commercial

  6. Preserving Freedom of Navigation in the South China Sea and the Strategic significance of the Philippines to U.S. Maritime Strategy

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-06-10

    at Naval Surface Warfare Symposium Background In March 2015, the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard released maritime doctrine titled, A...tri-service doctrine , A Cooperative Strategy for the 21st Century. Data to support this thesis will include reports from the Center for Naval...baselines. In 2009, the RP ratified their territorial claims to be compliant to the archipelagic requirements of UNCLOS.35 The Philippines asserts claims

  7. The great diversity of major histocompatibility complex class II genes in Philippine native cattle

    PubMed Central

    Takeshima, S.N.; Miyasaka, T.; Polat, M.; Kikuya, M.; Matsumoto, Y.; Mingala, C.N.; Villanueva, M.A.; Salces, A.J.; Onuma, M.; Aida, Y.

    2014-01-01

    Bovine leukocyte antigens (BoLA) are extensively used as markers for bovine disease and immunological traits. However, none of the BoLA genes in Southeast Asian breeds have been characterized by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-sequence-based typing (SBT). Therefore, we sequenced exon 2 of the BoLA class II DRB3 gene from 1120 individual cows belonging to the Holstein, Sahiwal, Simbrah, Jersey, Brahman, and Philippine native breeds using PCR-SBT. Several cross-breeds were also examined. BoLA-DRB3 PCR-SBT identified 78 previously reported alleles and five novel alleles. The number of BoLA-DRB3 alleles identified in each breed from the Philippines was higher (71 in Philippine native cattle, 58 in Brahman, 46 in Holstein × Sahiwal, and 57 in Philippine native × Brahman) than that identified in breeds from other countries (e.g., 23 alleles in Japanese Black and 35 in Bolivian Yacumeño cattle). A phylogenetic tree based on the DA distance calculated from the BoLA-DRB3 allele frequency showed that Philippine native cattle from different Philippine islands are closely related, and all of them are closely similar to Philippine Brahman cattle but not to native Japanese and Latin American breeds. Furthermore, the BoLA-DRB3 allele frequency in Philippine native cattle from Luzon Island, located in the Northern Philippines was different from that in cattle from Iloilo, Bohol, and Leyte Islands, which are located in the Southern Philippines. Therefore, we conclude that Philippine native cattle can be divided into two populations, North and South areas. Moreover, a neutrality test revealed that Philippine native cattle from Leyte showed significantly greater genetic diversity, which may be maintained by balancing selection. This study shows that Asian breeds have high levels of BoLA-DRB3 polymorphism. This finding, especially the identification of five novel BoLA-DRB3 alleles, will be helpful for future SBT studies of BoLA-DRB3 alleles in East Asian cattle. PMID:25606401

  8. Cardiovascular responses to stress in Singapore and India.

    PubMed

    Kaur, Divjyot; Bishop, George D

    2013-02-01

    Epidemiological studies have shown significant ethnic differences in coronary heart disease death rates with South Asians showing significantly greater coronary heart disease mortality than other groups. This research examined ethnic differences in cardiovascular reactivity (CVR) among Chinese, Malays and Indians in Singapore as well as a sample of Indians living in India. Experiment 1 examined differences across 303 Chinese, Malay and Indian undergraduates in Singapore, while Experiment 2 looked at differences in CVR between Indian participants from Singapore, and 145 Indians living in India. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), heart rate (HR), cardiac index (CI) and total peripheral resistance index (TPRI) were measured during baselines and five laboratory tasks. Ethnicity main effects for SBP and CI reactivity were obtained in Experiment 1, with Indians showing significantly lower BP and CI reactivity than the Chinese and Malays. Significant main effects for sex were found with females showing lower reactivity than males for TPRI, and greater reactivity than males for HR and CI. Experiment 2 found that participants from India showed higher reactivity for SBP, HR and CI, while Indian participants from Singapore showed higher TPRI reactivity. These differences, however, often varied by task. These results point to differences in CVR among ethnic groups in Singapore as well as between Indians living in India and those living in Singapore. These differences may reflect cultural differences and need to be explored further with respect to their relationship to different rates of coronary heart disease among these groups. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Contribution of forest fires to concentrations of particulate matter in Singapore

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Spracklen, D. V.; Reddington, C.; Yoshioka, M.; Arnold, S.; Balasubramanian, R.

    2013-12-01

    Singapore is regularly exposed to substantial levels of transboundary air pollution arising from uncontrolled forest and peat fires from specific regions within Southeast Asia. This air pollution has detrimental impacts on the lives of Singapore residents and on sensitive ecosystems. In June 2013, forest fires resulted in concentrations of particulate matter greatly exceeding levels recommended for human health, causing substantial public concern. We apply two different methods to quantify the impact of forest fires on the concentrations of particulate matter with diameter less than 2.5 micrometres (PM2.5) in Singapore. Firstly, we use a global aerosol model (GLOMAP) in combination with fire emissions from GFED3 to simulate PM2.5 concentrations over the period 1998-2009. We evaluate simulated PM2.5 concentrations against long-term observations from Singapore. To identify the contributions of fires from different source regions to PM2.5 concentrations we run multiple simulations with and without fire emissions from specific regions across Southeast Asia. Secondly, we apply an atmospheric back trajectory model in combination with the GFED3 fire emissions to calculate exposure of air masses arriving in Singapore to fire emissions. Both methods use meteorology from the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts and are consistent with the large-scale atmospheric flow from the assimilated observations. We find that both methods give consistent results, with forest fires increasing PM2.5 concentrations in Singapore predominately during April to October. Forest and peat fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan cause the greatest degradation of air quality in Singapore. The contribution of fires to PM2.5 concentrations in Singapore exhibits strong interannual variability. During years with a strong contribution from fires, our simulations show that the prevention of fires in southern Sumatra would reduce regional PM2.5 concentrations around Singapore by more than a factor of two, potentially allowing Singapore to meet World Health Organisation guidelines for annual mean concentrations of PM2.5. Acting to reduce forest and peat fires in southern Sumatra, in particular provinces of Lampung, South Sumatra and Jambi, and southern Kalimantan would likely have the greatest environmental benefits to Singapore and surrounding regions.

  10. How safe is the blood supply?

    PubMed

    1992-06-26

    Many poor people in Indian cities sell their blood to commercial blood banks for up to US$2.50. In fact, so many have done so that there once was a Professional Blood Donors Association. It dissolved though after some members died of AIDS. Health workers believe at least 25% of blood donors in Bombay are HIV positive. Yet a recent study of 70 professional blood donors in Bombay shows only 7 who did not test positive for HIV. Still the government of India does not require blood banks to test for HIV, hepatitis, or other blood borne diseases. In fact, the blood supply is monitored in only 5 cities in India. In India as well as in other Asian countries, physicians advise patients to donate their own blood and have it stored until needed for surgery or to ask for safer blood substitutes, e.g., plasma expanders. In fact, in Singapore, the Autologous Blood Bank charges US$21/year to store units of blood for future use. In Japan, most of the 2008 HIV infected people had received blood plasma from mainly the US before Japan required new sterilization regulations on blood imports. The greatest risk from blood donors comes from those who are paid for their blood because they tend to be poor, to practice unsafe sex, and not to be mindful of their health. Most Asian nations such as Japan and Singapore do screen the blood supply. Further, for almost 20 years, Thailand has checked its blood supply for hepatitis B and syphilis. In 1987, it began testing for AIDS. It does not pay for donated blood. In the Philippines, however, even paying blood donors does not meet the needed blood supply and much of the blood comes from commercial blood banks. Yet the Philippine Red Cross has screened for other diseases since 1960 and for AIDS since 1988.

  11. Prevalence and Pattern of Antibiotic Resistant Strains of Helicobacter Pylori Infection in ASEAN

    PubMed

    Vilaichone, Ratha Korn; Quach, Duc Trong; Yamaoka, Yoshio; Sugano, Ken; Mahachai, Varocha

    2018-05-26

    Objective: Antibiotic resistance has significantly impact on eradication rates for H. pylori infection and remains important cause of treatment failure worldwide including ASEAN countries. The aim of this study was to survey the prevalence and antibiotic resistant pattern of H. pylori infection in ASEAN. Methods: This study was a survey among 26 experts from 9 ASEAN countries including Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam whom attended a meeting to develop the ASEAN consensus on H. pylori management in Bangkok in November 2015. A questionnaire was sent to each member of the consensus meeting. The detail of the questionnaire included information about prevalence of H. pylori infection, facilities to perform H. pylori culture, molecular testing for antibiotic resistance and antibiotic resistance rate in their countries. Results: H. pylori infection remain common in ASEAN ranging from 20% in Malaysia, 21-54% in Thailand and 69% in Myanmar. Most of ASEAN countries can perform H. pylori cultures and antibiotic susceptibility tests except Laos and Cambodia. In ASEAN countries, metronidazole resistant H pylori is quite common whereas amoxicillin resistance remain rare. Clarithromycin resistance results in a significant decrease in H. pylori eradication rate with clarithromycin-containing regimens. The prevalence of clarithromycin resistance varies in ASEAN countries being high in Vietnam (30%) and Cambodia (43%), moderate to high in Singapore (17%) and low in Malaysia (6.8%), Philippine (2%) and Myanmar (0%). In Thailand, clarithromycin resistance tends to higher in large cities (14%) than in rural areas (~3.7%). Conclusion: ASEAN countries should develop a standard protocol for regular susceptibility testing of H. pylori so that clinicians would be better able to choose reliably effective empiric therapies. The wide range of antibiotic resistance in ASEAN countries suggests that the preferred first line regimen should be depend on the local antibiotic resistance other than single recommendation. Creative Commons Attribution License

  12. Protecting children and families from tobacco and tobacco-related NCDs in the Western Pacific: good practice examples from Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore.

    PubMed

    David, A M; Mercado, S P; Klein, J D; Kaundan, M s/o K; Koong, H N; Garcia, E

    2017-09-01

    Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are generally considered diseases of adulthood, but NCD risk factors like tobacco use often are taken up during childhood and adolescence, and second-hand smoke exposure affects child survival and development. At a regional meeting of the Asia Pacific Child and Family Health Alliance for Tobacco Control, members reviewed existing good practices of child-focused tobacco control approaches using health promotion strategies. These interventions were implemented nationally in Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore. Three good practice national examples were identified that focused on creating supportive tobacco-free environments and upgrading cessation skills among paediatricians. These country examples highlight strategic areas to protect children and families from the harms of tobacco, as part of NCD prevention and control. Training paediatricians in brief cessation advice has enabled them to address tobacco-using parents. Fully enforcing smoke-free public areas has led to an increase in smoke-free homes. The Tobacco Free Generation is a tobacco control 'endgame' strategy that taps into a social movement to deglamorize tobacco use and empower youth born in and after year 2000 to reject tobacco and nicotine addiction. Tobacco control is pivotal in the fight against NCDs; health promotion strategies to protect children and youth from tobacco have a critical role to play in NCD prevention and control. Frontline health workers, including primary care paediatricians, need to step up and actively advocate for full implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, including tobacco tax increases and smoke-free areas, while monitoring patients and their parents for tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure, preventing adolescent smoking uptake, and offering cessation support. A life-course approach incorporating child-focused efforts to prevent initiation of smoking and second-hand smoke exposure with measures promoting cessation among parents will offer the greatest chance of overcoming future tobacco-related NCD burden. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Exploring infant feeding practices: cross-sectional surveys of South Western Sydney, Singapore, and Ho Chi Minh City.

    PubMed

    Leow, Timothy Yong Qun; Ung, Andrew; Qian, Shelley; Nguyen, Jessie Thanh; An, Yvonne; Mudgil, Poonam; Whitehall, John

    2017-06-13

    Infant feeding practices are known to influence the child's long-term health. Studies have associated obesity and other diseases with reduced breastfeeding and early introduction of high calorie beverages (HCBs). The rising prevalence of obesity is already a problem in most developed countries, especially Australia, but cultural differences are influential. Our aim is to examine and compare infant feeding practices and educational levels of respondents through questionnaires in three culturally different sites: Campbelltown (South Western Sydney), Australia, Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (HCMC). Consenting parents and carers (aged ≥18 years old) of at least one child (≤6 years old) were recruited from paediatric clinics in Campbelltown, Singapore and HCMC. Participants completed an infant feeding practices questionnaire regarding breastfeeding, beverage and solid initiation in addition to the parent's ethnicity, age, and educational level. Data was analysed quantitatively using SPSS. Two hundred eighty-three participants were recruited across the three sites, HCMC (n = 84), Campbelltown (n = 108), and Singapore (n = 91). 237 (82.6%) children were breastfed but in all only 100 (60.2%) were exclusively breastfed for five months or more. There was a statistical difference in rates of breast feeding between each region. HCMC (n = 18, 21.4%) had the lowest, followed by Campbelltown (n = 35, 32.4%), and then Singapore (n = 47, 51.7%). There was also a difference in rates of introduction of HCBs by 3 years of age, with those in HCMC (n = 71, 84.5%) were higher than Campbelltown (n = 71, 65.8%) and Singapore (n = 48, 52.8%). The educational level of respondents was lower in Vietnam where only 46.4% (n = 39) had completed post-secondary education, compared to 75.0% (n = 81) in Campbelltown and 75.8% (n = 69) in Singapore. Rates of breast feeding were inversely correlated with rates of introduction of HCB and positively related to educational achievement. Vietnam had lowest rates of breast feeding, higher rates of introduction of HCBs, and lower rates of education. Given rising rates of obesity, there is a need for more effective programmes to promote breast feeding and restrict false advertising of HCBs.

  14. 15 CFR 2013.1 - Designations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    .... Afr. Rep. Chad Congo Côte d'Ivoire Dem. Rep. of the Congo Djibouti Egypt Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea... Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines South Africa St. Kitts & Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent...

  15. 15 CFR 2013.1 - Designations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    .... Afr. Rep. Chad Congo Côte d'Ivoire Dem. Rep. of the Congo Djibouti Egypt Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea... Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines South Africa St. Kitts & Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent...

  16. 15 CFR 2013.1 - Designations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    .... Afr. Rep. Chad Congo Côte d'Ivoire Dem. Rep. of the Congo Djibouti Egypt Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea... Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines South Africa St. Kitts & Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent...

  17. Recruitment constraints in Singapore's fluted giant clam (Tridacna squamosa) population—A dispersal model approach

    PubMed Central

    Neo, Mei Lin; Erftemeijer, Paul L. A.; van Beek, Jan K. L.; van Maren, Dirk S.; Teo, Serena L-M.; Todd, Peter A.

    2013-01-01

    Recruitment constraints on Singapore's dwindling fluted giant clam, Tridacna squamosa, population were studied by modelling fertilisation, larval transport, and settlement using real-time hydrodynamic forcing combined with knowledge of spawning characteristics, larval development, behaviour, and settlement cues. Larval transport was simulated using a finite-volume advection-diffusion model coupled to a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model. Three recruitment constraint hypotheses were tested: 1) there is limited connectivity between Singapore's reefs and other reefs in the region, 2) there is limited exchange within Singapore's Southern Islands, and 3) there exist low-density constraints to fertilisation efficacy (component Allee effects). Results showed that connectivity among giant clam populations was primarily determined by residual hydrodynamic flows and spawning time, with greatest chances of successful settlement occurring when spawning and subsequent larval dispersal coincided with the period of lowest residual flow. Simulations suggested poor larval transport from reefs located along the Peninsular Malaysia to Singapore, probably due to strong surface currents between the Andaman Sea and South China Sea combined with a major land barrier disrupting larval movement among reefs. The model, however, predicted offshore coral reefs to the southeast of Singapore (Bintan and Batam) may represent a significant source of larvae. Larval exchange within Singapore's Southern Islands varied substantially depending on the locations of source and sink reefs as well as spawning time; but all simulations resulted in low settler densities (2.1–68.6 settled individuals per 10,000 m2). Poor fertilisation rates predicted by the model indicate that the low density and scattered distribution of the remaining T. squamosa in Singapore are likely to significantly inhibit any natural recovery of local stocks. PMID:23555597

  18. 78 FR 23624 - Determination and Certification Under the Foreign Assistance Act Relating to the Largest...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-04-19

    ... certify that the top five exporting and importing countries and economies of pseudoephedrine and ephedrine (Belgium, China, Egypt, Germany, India, Indonesia, Poland, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, and...

  19. Phytochemical analysis and antioxidant capacity of Lycopodium clavatum Linn. from Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, Philippines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Descallar, Angem L.; Nuñez, Maria Pamela S.; Cabrera, Maria Luisa N.; Martin, Tres Tinna B.; Obemio, Christine Dawn G.; Lañojan, Rhumer S.

    2017-01-01

    Lycopodium clavatum or locally known as "lumot" is one of the many plants used in the traditional system of medicine here in the Philippines. It has been known that this plant was used for body pains and "facial wipes" recognizing its anti-aging potential by the Obo community in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. However, there is a lack of sufficient data on its phytochemical components and medicinal properties. Thus, this study is conducted to determine the secondary metabolites present and its antioxidant property of the decoction and ethanolic extracts of Lycopodium clavatum Linn. Free radical scavenging activity of Lycopodium clavatum Linn. was determined by in vitro 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method. Antioxidant activities were observed which may be due to the presence of alkaloids, steroids, and flavonoids in both decoction and ethanolic extracts.

  20. Aging trends -- the Philippines.

    PubMed

    Biddlecom, A E; Domingo, L J

    1996-03-01

    This report presents a description of the trends in growth of the elderly population in the Philippines and their health, disability, education, work status, income, and family support. The proportion of elderly in the Philippines is much smaller than in other Southeast Asian countries, such as Singapore and Malaysia. The elderly population aged over 65 years increased from 2.7% of total population in 1990 to 3.6% in 1990. The elderly are expected to comprise 7.7% of total population in 2025. The proportion of elderly is small due to the high fertility rate. Life expectancy averages 63.5 years. The aged dependency ratio will double from 5.5 elderly per 100 persons aged 15-64 years in 1990 to 10.5/100 in 2025. A 1984 ASEAN survey found that only 11% of elderly rated their health as bad. The 1990 Census reveals that 3.9% were disabled elderly. Most were deaf, blind, or orthopedically impaired. 16% of elderly in the ASEAN survey reported not seeing a doctor even when they needed to. 54% reported that a doctor was not visited due to the great expense. In 1980, 67% of men and 76% of women aged over 60 years had less than a primary education. The proportion with a secondary education in 2020 is expected to be about 33% for men and 33% for women. 66.5% of men and 28.5% of women aged over 60 years were in the formal labor force in 1990. Women were less likely to receive cash income from current jobs or pensions. 65% of earnings from older rural people was income from agricultural production. 60% of income among urban elderly was from children, and 23% was from pensions. Family support is provided to the elderly in the form of coresidence. In 1988, 68% of elderly aged over 60 years lived with at least one child. Retirement or nursing homes are uncommon. The Philippines Constitution states that families have a duty to care for elderly members.

  1. Reemergence of Reston ebolavirus in Cynomolgus Monkeys, the Philippines, 2015.

    PubMed

    Demetria, Catalino; Smith, Ina; Tan, Titus; Villarico, Daniel; Simon, Edson Michael; Centeno, Rex; Tachedjian, Mary; Taniguchi, Satoshi; Shimojima, Masayuki; Miranda, Noel Lee J; Miranda, Mary Elizabeth; Rondina, Melissa Marie R; Capistrano, Rowena; Tandoc, Amado; Marsh, Glenn; Eagles, Debbie; Cruz, Ramses; Fukushi, Shuetsu

    2018-07-01

    In August 2015, a nonhuman primate facility south of Manila, the Philippines, noted unusual deaths of 6 cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis), characterized by generalized rashes, inappetence, or sudden death. We identified Reston ebolavirus (RESTV) infection in monkeys by using serologic and molecular assays. We isolated viruses in tissues from infected monkeys and determined viral genome sequences. RESTV found in the 2015 outbreak is genetically closer to 1 of the 4 RESTVs that caused the 2008 outbreak among swine. Eight macaques, including 2 also infected with RESTV, tested positive for measles. Concurrently, the measles virus was circulating throughout the Philippines, indicating that the infection of the macaques may be a reverse zoonosis. Improved biosecurity measures will minimize the public health risk, as well as limit the introduction of disease and vectors.

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

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-11-01

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

  3. Resilience and Well-Being among Children of Migrant Parents in South-East Asia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jordan, Lucy P.; Graham, Elspeth

    2012-01-01

    There has been little systematic empirical research on the well-being of children in transnational households in South-East Asia--a major sending region for contract migrants. This study uses survey data collected in 2008 from children aged 9, 10, and 11 and their caregivers in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam (N = 1,498). Results indicate…

  4. South Asian Students' Needs for Cantonese and Written Chinese in Hong Kong: A Linguistic Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, David C. S.; Chuk, Joanne Y. P.

    2015-01-01

    Based on qualitative data obtained from 15 South Asian (SA) B.Ed. (EL) (Bachelor of Education in English Language) students, this study reports on SA students' difficulty in mastering Mandarin-based written Chinese and the vernacular Cantonese in Hong Kong. For convenience, SA here also refers to students whose homeland is the Philippines. Since…

  5. Return to Clark Air Force Base: Establishing Permanent Military Bases in the Philippines as part of the United States Grand Strategy in the South China Sea

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-02-16

    Unknotting tangled Lines in the South China Sea Dispute” in Territorial Disputes in the South China Sea ed. Billo, Andrew and Jung 1-12 Hayton...in Territorial Disputes in the South China Sea ed. Billo, Andrew and Jung 99-127 Johnston, Alastair, “How New and Assertive Is China’s New...2015) Sutter, Robert, “China’s Rise: Implications for U.S. Leadership in Asia,” East-West Center, Washington, Policy Studies 21. (2006) Thayer, Carl

  6. Projections of wind-waves in South China Sea for the 21st century

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mohammed, Aboobacker; Dykyi, Pavlo; Zheleznyak, Mark; Tkalich, Pavel

    2013-04-01

    IPCC-coordinated work has been completed within Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) to project climate and ocean variables for the 21st century using coupled atmospheric-ocean General Circulation Models (GCMs). GCMs are not having a wind-wave variable due to a poor grid resolution; therefore, dynamical downscaling of wind-waves to the regional scale is advisable using well established models, such as Wave Watch III (WWIII) and SWAN. Rectilinear-coordinates WWIII model is adapted for the far field comprising the part of Pacific and Indian Oceans centered at the South China Sea and Sunda Shelf (90 °E-130 °E, 10 °S - 26.83 °N) with a resolution of 10' (about 18 km). Near-field unstructured-mesh SWAN model covers Sunda Shelf and centered on Singapore Strait, while reading lateral boundary values from WWIII model. The unstructured grid has the coarsest resolution in the South China Sea (6 to 10 km), medium resolution in the Malacca Strait (1 to 2 km), and the finest resolution in the Singapore Strait (400 m) and along the Singapore coastline (up to 100 m). Following IPCC methodology, the model chain is validated climatologically for the past period 1961-1990 against Voluntary Observing Ship (VOS) data; additionally, the models are validated using recent high-resolution satellite data. The calibrated model chain is used to project waves to 21st century using WRF-downscaled wind speed output of CCSM GCM run for A1FI climate change scenario. To comply with IPCC methodology the entire modeling period is split into three 30-years periods for which statistical parameters are computed individually. Time series of significant wave height at key points near Singapore and on ship sea routes in the SCS are statistically analysed to get probability distribution functions (PDFs) of extreme values. Climatological maps of mean and maximum significant wave height (SWH) values, and mean wave period are built for Singapore region for each 30-yrs period. Linear trends of mean SWH values for northeast (NE) and southwest (SW) monsoons have been derived. The maximum values of predicted 100 year return period (YRP) SWH are obtained for the 1st 30-yrs period (2011-2040). In the deep eastern part of the Singapore, 100yrp SWH are 2.4 - 2.8 m, whereas those at the shallow nearshore areas are 1.7-2.3 m. On the ship routes at Sunda Shelf the 100 YRP SWHs are 1.1 - 3.2 m, and those at the SCS routes are 3.6 - 10.4 m. The biggest changes in future against hindcasted SWH is in first 30-yrs, where extreme 100 YRP SWH will grow up in the range from 36%-120% at points near Singapore and to 39%-108% at ship sea routes.

  7. Academia Sinica, TW E-science to Assistant Seismic Observations for Earthquake Research, Monitor and Hazard Reduction Surrounding the South China Sea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Bor-Shouh; Liu, Chun-Chi; Yen, Eric; Liang, Wen-Tzong; Lin, Simon C.; Huang, Win-Gee; Lee, Shiann-Jong; Chen, Hsin-Yen

    Experience from the 1994 giant Sumatra earthquake, seismic and tsunami hazard have been considered as important issues in the South China Sea and its surrounding region, and attracted many seismologist's interesting. Currently, more than 25 broadband seismic instruments are currently operated by Institute of Earth Sciences, Academia Sinica in northern Vietnam to study the geodynamic evolution of the Red river fracture zone and rearranged to distribute to southern Vietnam recently to study the geodynamic evolution and its deep structures of the South China Sea. Similar stations are planned to deploy in Philippines in near future. In planning, some high quality stations may be as permanent stations and added continuous GPS observations, and instruments to be maintained and operated by several cooperation institutes, for instance, Institute of Geophysics, Vietnamese Acadamy of Sciences and Technology in Vietnam and Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology in Philippines. Finally, those stations will be planed to upgrade as real time transmission stations for earthquake monitoring and tsunami warning. However, high speed data transfer within different agencies is always a critical issue for successful network operation. By taking advantage of both EGEE and EUAsiaGrid e-Infrastructure, Academia Sinica Grid Computing Centre coordinates researchers from various Asian countries to construct a platform to high performance data transfer for huge parallel computation. Efforts from this data service and a newly build earthquake data centre for data management may greatly improve seismic network performance. Implementation of Grid infrastructure and e-science issues in this region may assistant development of earthquake research, monitor and natural hazard reduction. In the near future, we will search for new cooperation continually from the surrounding countries of the South China Sea to install new seismic stations to construct a complete seismic network of the South China Sea and encourage studies for earthquake sciences and natural hazard reductions.

  8. 40 CFR Appendix C to Subpart A of... - Parties to the Montreal Protocol, and Nations Complying With, But Not Parties to, the Protocol

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Slovakia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Slovenia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Solomon Island ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Somalia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ South Africa ✓ ✓ ✓ Spain... 118. Sierra Leone 119. Singapore 120. Solomon Islands 121. Somalia 122. South Africa 123. Sri Lanka...

  9. 40 CFR Appendix C to Subpart A of... - Parties to the Montreal Protocol, and Nations Complying With, But Not Parties to, the Protocol

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Slovakia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Slovenia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Solomon Island ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Somalia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ South Africa ✓ ✓ ✓ Spain... 118. Sierra Leone 119. Singapore 120. Solomon Islands 121. Somalia 122. South Africa 123. Sri Lanka...

  10. 40 CFR Appendix C to Subpart A of... - Parties to the Montreal Protocol, and Nations Complying With, But Not Parties to, the Protocol

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Slovakia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Slovenia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Solomon Island ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Somalia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ South Africa ✓ ✓ ✓ Spain... 118. Sierra Leone 119. Singapore 120. Solomon Islands 121. Somalia 122. South Africa 123. Sri Lanka...

  11. 40 CFR Appendix C to Subpart A of... - Parties to the Montreal Protocol, and Nations Complying With, But Not Parties to, the Protocol

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Slovakia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Slovenia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Solomon Island ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Somalia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ South Africa ✓ ✓ ✓ Spain... 118. Sierra Leone 119. Singapore 120. Solomon Islands 121. Somalia 122. South Africa 123. Sri Lanka...

  12. Morphological classification and spatial distribution of Philippine volcanoes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Paguican, E. M. R.; Kervyn, M.; Grosse, P.

    2016-12-01

    The Philippines is an island arc composed of two major blocks: the aseismic Palawan microcontinental block and the Philippine mobile belt. It is bounded by opposing subduction zones, with the left-lateral Philippine Fault running north-south. This setting is ideal for volcano formation and growth, making it one of the best places to study the controls on island arc volcano morphometry and evolution. In this study, we created a database of volcanic edifices and structures identified on the SRTM 30 m digital elevation models (DEM). We computed the morphometry of each edifice using MORVOLC, an IDL code for generating quantitative parameters based on a defined volcano base and DEM. Morphometric results illustrate the large range of sizes and volumes of Philippine volcanoes. Heirarchical classification by principal component analysis distinguishes between large massifs, large cones/sub-cones, small shields/sub-cones, and small cones, based mainly on size (volume, basal width) and steepness (height/basal width ratio, average slopes). Poisson Nearest Neighbor analysis was used to examine the spatial distribution of volcano centroids. Spatial distribution of the different types of volcanoes suggests that large volcanic massifs formed on thickened crust. Although all the volcanic fields and arcs are a response to tectonic activity such as subduction or rifting, only West Luzon, North and South Mindanao, and Eastern Philippines volcanic arcs and Basilan, Macolod, and Maramag volcanic fields present a statistical clustering of volcanic centers. Spatial distribution and preferential alignment of edifices in all volcanic fields confirm that regional structures had some control on their formation. Volcanoes start either as steep cones or as less steep sub-cones and shields. They then grow into large cones, sub-cones and eventually into massifs as eruption focus shifts within the volcano and new eruptive material is deposited on the slopes. Examination of the directions of volcano collapse scars and erosional amphitheater valleys suggests that, during their development, volcano growth is affected by movement of underlying tectonic structures, weight and stability of the growing edifice, structure and composition of the substrata, and intense erosion associated with tropical rainfall.

  13. The Banyan tree: overseas migrants from South Asia.

    PubMed

    Tinker, H

    1979-10-01

    The number of Indian emigrants throughout the years has made little or no population difference to the country. With the population of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh totalling about 700 million in the mid 1970s, emigration is almost irrelevant. In 3 small nations, Mauritius, Fiji, and Guyana, Indians form the majority of the population. Present demographic trends point to the same majority in Trinidad. Indians also are an important group in Malaya, Singapore, and Ceylon, where they are more than 10% of the overall population. In other countries Indians form a small, minority population without political power. Almost all the overseas communities preserved the essential of the Hindu, Muslim, or Sikh religions which they took with them. In the Caribbean the Indian, or East Indian, has discarded his mother tongue after 3 or more generations in isolation. In South Africa only very old emigrants still speak their native tongue. Indian communities abroad often separate into Hindu and Muslim communities. British society uses the term "multi-racial" to describe the pluralistic cultures in its colonies, but British culture is not multiracial. The term has meaning only when applied to an urban area such as Singapore. In Singapore a multilingual policy is applied in order to make the multiracial ideal a reality.

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

    PubMed

    Ismail, R

    1999-01-01

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

  15. The development and regulation of occupational exposure limits in Singapore.

    PubMed

    Tang, Tan Kia; Siang, Lee Hock; Koh, David

    2006-11-01

    Singapore is an island republic in South East Asia with a workforce of about 2.1 million including 0.7 million employed in the manufacturing industry. Singapore's industry is diversified and the main growth sectors include microelectronics, chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, and biomedical sectors. Exposure to chemical hazards is one of the main occupational health problems in the manufacturing sectors. The main roles of government in the protection of workers against safety and health hazards are to set standards and provide a proper infrastructure for industry to self-regulate. The occupation safety and health laws must provide adequate protection of workforce but must not disadvantage local industry in this globally competitive economy. To ensure a level playing field, Singapore's occupational exposure standards are benchmarked against those established in the developed countries. These standards are reviewed regularly to ensure they are realistic and relevant in tandem with worldwide trends. Industry and stakeholders are consulted before any new standards are introduced. In enforcing the laws relating to exposure standards, legal and administrative procedures are followed to ensure fairness and to prevent abuse.

  16. Beyond the Coral Triangle: high genetic diversity and near panmixia in Singapore's populations of the broadcast spawning sea star Protoreaster nodosus.

    PubMed

    Tay, Y C; Chng, M W P; Sew, W W G; Rheindt, F E; Tun, K P P; Meier, R

    2016-08-01

    The Coral Triangle is widely considered the most important centre of marine biodiversity in Asia while areas on its periphery such as the South China Sea, have received much less interest. Here, we demonstrate that a small population of the knobbly sea star Protoreaster nodosus in Singapore has similarly high levels of genetic diversity as comparable Indonesian populations from the Coral Triangle. The high genetic diversity of this population is remarkable because it is maintained despite decades of continued anthropogenic disturbance. We postulate that it is probably due to broadcast spawning which is likely to maintain high levels of population connectivity. To test this, we analysed 6140 genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci for Singapore's populations and demonstrate a pattern of near panmixia. We here document a second case of high genetic diversity and low genetic structure for a broadcast spawner in Singapore, which suggests that such species have high resilience against anthropogenic disturbances. The study demonstrates the feasibility and power of using genome-wide SNPs for connectivity studies of marine invertebrates without a sequenced genome.

  17. Arc magmatism and mineralization in North Luzon and its relationship to subduction at the East Luzon and North Manila Trenches

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wolfe, John A.

    The Tertiary tectonics of North Luzon are complicated by an early thermotectonic regime in the Eocene (40-50 Ma) and the second from 30 to 17 Ma in the Oligocene resulting from subduction in the East Luzon Trench. The second stage coincided with the opening of the South China Sea on the west side of the Philippines. Portions of the western Philippines were translated south from China by the opening of the South China Sea. This includes Mindoro Island, Palawan and the Reed Bank area. No one has presented any evidence that any oceanic crust existed between early Luzon and China prior to opening of the South China Sea. After spreading of the South China Sea ceased, China began to extrude eastward and coupled with the oceanic crust of the South China Sea initiated subduction in the North Manila trench under Luzon at about 17 Ma. Commencing at approximately 15 Ma a graben formed east of the Manila Trench, centered in Baguio City. It contained the volcanic arc which began to develop as the Agno batholith intruded the graben. The graben extends for at least 75 km on the southwest flank of the Cordillera with relayed extensions into the Cordillera. Porphyry copper mineralization developed within the graben from 10 to 8 Ma interrupted by the explosion of a caldera or volcano tectonic depression extending south of Baguio. This graben contains 22 porphyry copper bodies, some of them uneconomic. Described by Gervasio as a "crackle zone", the same zone was described by Fernandez and Damasco as the area most favorable for gold exploration. The second period of mineralization was imposed on the district from 4 to 3 Ma. Gold mineralization in the Baguio district constituted a third phase of mineralization in the Pleistocene. Absence of commercial mineralization in the Cordillera and Sierra Madre correlated with the Paleogene is one of the criteria for distinguishing between the subduction related to the South China Sea and that related to the Philippine Sea on the east. One of the important conclusions of this paper is that the Oligocene phase of subduction on the East Luzon Trench coincided with the opening of the South China Sea and both of these activities ceased when spreading on the South China Sea ceased. The period of mineralization in the graben at Baguio relates to the Manila Trench on the west side of Luzon with igneous activity commencing about 15 Ma.

  18. Treating childhood asthma in Singapore: when West meets East.

    PubMed Central

    Connett, G. J.; Lee, B. W.

    1994-01-01

    Though Western medicines and ideas about asthma have become popular in many Asian nations, local beliefs about treatment prevail. The multiracial society of Singapore shows a variety of beliefs about causes of asthma attacks (for example, the balance of yin and yang) and types of treatment--herbal remedies, inhaled versus eaten medicines, the influence of Ramadan. Many of the cultural practices mentioned are probably preserved among south east Asian minorities residing in the United Kingdom. Eastern treatments typically take a holistic approach to asthma and do not ignore the psychosomatic component of the disorder. Images p1282-a PMID:8205023

  19. China Emerging

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-03-14

    historical components to the disputes in the South China Sea that have bearing on the issue. China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia , the Philippines...government for needed efficiency. It becomes more and more untenable for an authoritative government to enforce censorship , political repression, state

  20. Characterization of extreme flood and drought events in Singapore and investigation of their relationships with ENSO

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Xin; Babovic, Vladan

    2016-04-01

    Flood and drought are hydrologic extreme events that have significant impact on human and natural systems. Characterization of flood and drought in terms of their start, duration and strength, and investigation of the impact of natural climate variability (i.e., ENSO) and anthropogenic climate change on them can help decision makers to facilitate adaptions to mitigate potential enormous economic costs. To date, numerous studies in this area have been conducted, however, they are primarily focused on extra-tropical regions. Therefore, this study presented a detailed framework to characterize flood and drought events in a tropical urban city-state (i.e., Singapore), based on daily data from 26 precipitation stations. Flood and drought events are extracted from standardized precipitation anomalies from monthly to seasonal time scales. Frequency, duration and magnitude of flood and drought at all the stations are analyzed based on crossing theory. In addition, spatial variation of flood and drought characteristics in Singapore is investigated using ordinary kriging method. Lastly, the impact of ENSO condition on flood and drought characteristics is analyzed using regional regression method. The results show that Singapore can be prone to extreme flood and drought events at both monthly and seasonal time scales. ENSO has significant influence on flood and drought characteristics in Singapore, but mainly during the South West Monsoon season. During the El Niño phase, drought can become more extreme. The results have implications for water management practices in Singapore.

  1. Concomitant preterm birth and severe small-for-gestational age birth weight among infants of immigrant mothers in Ontario originating from the Philippines and East Asia: a population-based study.

    PubMed

    Bartsch, Emily; Park, Alison L; Jairam, Jennifer; Ray, Joel G

    2017-07-18

    Women from the Philippines form one of the largest immigrant groups to North America. Their newborns experience higher rates of preterm birth (PTB), and separately, small-for-gestational age (SGA) birth weight, compared with other East Asians. It is not known if Filipino women are at elevated risk of concomitant PTB and severe SGA (PTB-SGA), a pathological state likely reflective of placental dysfunction and neonatal morbidity. We conducted a population-based study of all singleton or twin live births in Ontario, from 2002 to 2011, among immigrant mothers from the Philippines (n=27 946), Vietnam (n=15 297), Hong Kong (n=5618), South Korea (n=5148) and China (n=42 517). We used modified Poisson regression to generate relative risks (RR) of PTB-SGA, defined as a birth <37 weeks' gestation and a birth weight <5th percentile. RRs were adjusted for maternal age, parity, marital status, income quintile, infant sex and twin births. Relative to mothers from China (2.3 per 1000), the rate of PTB-SGA was significantly higher among infants of mothers from the Philippines (6.5 per 1000; RR 2.91, 95% CI 2.27 to 3.73), and those from Vietnam (3.7 per 1000; RR 1.68, 95% CI 1.21 to 2.34). The RR of PTB-SGA was not higher for infants of mothers from Hong Kong or South Korea. Among infants born to immigrant women from five East Asian birthplaces, the risk of PTB-SGA was highest among those from the Philippines. These women and their fetuses may require additional monitoring and interventions. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  2. Crustal gravitational potential energy change at the convergent plate boundary near Taiwan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lo, C.; Hsu, S.

    2003-12-01

    The Taiwan orogen has formed due to the convergence between the Philippine Sea plate and Eurasian plate. Numerous earthquakes are occurring along the active convergent plate boundary in eastern Taiwan. To the northeast, the Philippine Sea plates is subducting northwards beneath the Ryukyu Arc. To the south, the Eurasian plate is subducting eastwards beneath the Luzon Arc. The plate interaction has caused crustal deformation and produced earthquakes. The earthquakes have caused radial permanent displacement of the crust and have altered the crustal gravitational potential energy. Here we use the earthquake source mechanisms, determined by the Broadband Array in Taiwan for Seismology (BATs) from 1995 to 2003, to calculate the crustal gravitational potential energy (GPE) change and discuss their tectonic implication along the convergent plate boundary. In Ilan Plain, the westernmost Okinawa Trough, it shows a crustal GPE loss. It is related to the crustal subsidence because of the backarc extension of the Okinawa Trough. In contrast, due to the Philippine Sea plate subucting northwards beneath Eurasian Plate, the Ryukyu convergent boundary shows systematic crustal GPE gain. Near Taiwan, the crustal GPE change is gained, indicating the collisional convergence of the Luzon Arc. To the south of Taiwan, along the Luzon Arc the crustal GPE is also gain, representing the initial uplifting of the Taiwan mountain belt.

  3. Analysis of Non-Tropical Cyclone Induced Flood Events over South East Asia: Investigating Flood Frequency and Extremes in the Philippines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marcella, M. P.; CHEN, C.; Senarath, S. U.

    2013-12-01

    Much work has been completed in analyzing Southeast Asia's tropical cyclone climatology and the associated flooding throughout the region. Although, an active and strong monsoon season also brings major flooding across the Philippines resulting in the loss of lives and significant economic impacts, only a limited amount of research work has been conducted to investigate the frequency and flood loss estimates of these non-tropical cyclone (TC) storms. In this study, using the TRMM 3-hourly rainfall product, tropical cyclone rainfall is removed to construct a non-TC rainfall climatology across the region. Given this data, stochastically generated rainfall that is both spatially and temporally correlated across the country is created to generate a longer historically-based record of non-TC precipitation. After defining the rainfall criteria that constitutes a flood event based on observed floods and TRMM data, this event definition is applied to the stochastic catalog of rainfall to determine flood events. Subsequently, a thorough analysis of non-TC flood extremes, frequency, and distribution is completed for the country of the Philippines. As a result, the above methodology and datasets provide a unique opportunity to further study flood occurrences and their extremes across most of South East Asia.

  4. 1980 ASEAN programme roundup: a model in the making.

    PubMed

    1981-01-01

    Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) experts and heads of national population programs held their 4th meeting in Singapore from November 24-28, 1980. Program heads resolved to take steps to link their national activities in the population field with those of the ASEAN Population Program and carry out studies and a joint programming exercise in 1981. Progress reports on the following Phase 1 projects were given: 1) integration of population and rural development policies and programs in ASEAN countries including Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand; 2) development of an inter-country modular training program for personnel in population and rural development; 3) multi-media support for population programs in the context of rural development in ASEAN countries; 4) utilization of research findings in population and family planning for policy formulation and program management in ASEAN countries; and 5) migration in relation to rural development. Phase 2 projects approved by ASEAN country participants were also discussed: 1) institutional development and exchange of personnel, 2) women in development, 3) developing and strengthening national population information systems and networks in ASEAN countries, 4) population and development dynamics and the man/resource balance, 5) studies on health and family planning in ASEAN countries, 6) population migration movement and development, and 7) development of ASEAN social indicators.

  5. Entomologic and Virologic Investigation of Chikungunya, Singapore

    PubMed Central

    Tan, Li-Kiang; Tan, Cheong-Huat; Tan, Sharon S.Y.; Hapuarachchi, Hapuarachchige C.; Pok, Kwoon-Yong; Lai, Yee-Ling; Lam-Phua, Sai-Gek; Bucht, Göran; Lin, Raymond T.P.; Leo, Yee-Sin; Tan, Boon-Hian; Han, Hwi-Kwang; Ooi, Peng-Lim S; James, Lyn; Khoo, Seow-Poh

    2009-01-01

    Local transmission of chikungunya, a debilitating mosquito-borne viral disease, was first reported in Singapore in January 2008. After 3 months of absence, locally acquired Chikungunya cases resurfaced in May 2008, causing an outbreak that resulted in a total of 231 cases by September 2008. The circulating viruses were related to East, Central, and South African genotypes that emerged in the Indian Ocean region in 2005. The first local outbreak was due to a wild-type virus (alanine at codon 226 of the envelope 1 gene) and occurred in an area where Aedes aegypti mosquitoes were the primary vector. Strains isolated during subsequent outbreaks showed alanine to valine substitution (A226V) and largely spread in areas predominated by Ae. albopictus mosquitoes. These findings led to a revision of the current vector control strategy in Singapore. This report highlights the use of entomologic and virologic data to assist in the control of chikungunya in disease-endemic areas. PMID:19751586

  6. Entomologic and virologic investigation of Chikungunya, Singapore.

    PubMed

    Ng, Lee-Ching; Tan, Li-Kiang; Tan, Cheong-Huat; Tan, Sharon S Y; Hapuarachchi, Hapuarachchige C; Pok, Kwoon-Yong; Lai, Yee-Ling; Lam-Phua, Sai-Gek; Bucht, Göran; Lin, Raymond T P; Leo, Yee-Sin; Tan, Boon-Hian; Han, Hwi-Kwang; Ooi, Peng-Lim S; James, Lyn; Khoo, Seow-Poh

    2009-08-01

    Local transmission of chikungunya, a debilitating mosquito-borne viral disease, was first reported in Singapore in January 2008. After 3 months of absence, locally acquired Chikungunya cases resurfaced in May 2008, causing an outbreak that resulted in a total of 231 cases by September 2008. The circulating viruses were related to East, Central, and South African genotypes that emerged in the Indian Ocean region in 2005. The first local outbreak was due to a wild-type virus (alanine at codon 226 of the envelope 1 gene) and occurred in an area where Aedes aegypti mosquitoes were the primary vector. Strains isolated during subsequent outbreaks showed alanine to valine substitution (A226V) and largely spread in areas predominated by Ae. albopictus mosquitoes. These findings led to a revision of the current vector control strategy in Singapore. This report highlights the use of entomologic and virologic data to assist in the control of chikungunya in disease-endemic areas.

  7. U.S. Collaborative-Engagement with China: Using Strategic Technological Collaborative Leadership (STCL)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-03-01

    Red Rock Tech., Seagate, Sony Storage Devices Lantronix, SBE Terminal Server Technologies Table 1. COTS Suppliers and Components in the Aegis...million Singapore $711 China $622 Australia $471 Taiwan $363 Malaysia $301 South Korea $246 74

  8. 22 CFR 228.03 - Identification of principal geographic code numbers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ..., Belarus, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia...*, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, People's Republic of China, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia*, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden...

  9. Results from the Survey of Antibiotic Resistance (SOAR) 2012–14 in Thailand, India, South Korea and Singapore

    PubMed Central

    Torumkuney, D.; Chaiwarith, R.; Reechaipichitkul, W.; Malatham, K.; Chareonphaibul, V.; Rodrigues, C.; Chitins, D. S.; Dias, M.; Anandan, S.; Kanakapura, S.; Park, Y. J.; Lee, K.; Lee, H.; Kim, J. Y.; Lee, Y.; Lee, H. K.; Kim, J. H.; Tan, T. Y.; Heng, Y. X.; Mukherjee, P.; Morrissey, I.

    2016-01-01

    Objectives To provide susceptibility data for community-acquired respiratory tract isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis collected in 2012–14 from four Asian countries. Methods MICs were determined using Etest® for all antibiotics except erythromycin, which was evaluated by disc diffusion. Susceptibility was assessed using CLSI, EUCAST and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) breakpoints. For macrolide/clindamycin interpretation, breakpoints were adjusted for incubation in CO2 where available. Results Susceptibility of S. pneumoniae was generally lower in South Korea than in other countries. Penicillin susceptibility assessed using CLSI oral or EUCAST breakpoints ranged from 21.2% in South Korea to 63.8% in Singapore. In contrast, susceptibility using CLSI intravenous breakpoints was much higher, at 79% in South Korea and ∼95% or higher elsewhere. Macrolide susceptibility was ∼20% in South Korea and ∼50%–60% elsewhere. Among S. pyogenes isolates (India only), erythromycin susceptibility (∼20%) was lowest of the antibiotics tested. In H. influenzae antibiotic susceptibility was high except for ampicillin, where susceptibility ranged from 16.7% in South Korea to 91.1% in India. South Korea also had a high percentage (18.1%) of β-lactamase-negative ampicillin-resistant isolates. Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid susceptibility for each pathogen (PK/PD high dose) was between 93% and 100% in all countries except for H. influenzae in South Korea (62.5%). Conclusions Use of EUCAST versus CLSI breakpoints had profound differences for cefaclor, cefuroxime and ofloxacin, with EUCAST showing lower susceptibility. There was considerable variability in susceptibility among countries in the same region. Thus, continued surveillance is necessary to track future changes in antibiotic resistance. PMID:27048580

  10. Nuclear Medicine in the Philippines: A Glance at the Past, a Gaze at the Present, and a Glimpse of the Future

    PubMed Central

    Bautista, Patricia A.; Luis, Teofilo O.L. San

    2016-01-01

    While the introduction of radioactive tracers in the study of metabolic pathways has been well-documented in clinical thyroidology as early as 1924, the widespread utilization in other clinical specialties has been hampered by slow developments in radiation-detecting devices and in the production of appropriate radiopharmaceuticals, in addition to the morbid fear of radiation. In the Philippines, the first radioisotope laboratory was established in 1956. Ten years later, the Philippine Society of Nuclear Medicine was formed. Through the years, challenges were overcome, foundations were laid down, growth was encouraged, friendships with other organizations were built, adjustments were made, and rules were enforced. To date, there are approximately 58 nuclear medicine centers randomly distributed from north to south of the Philippines, 7 accredited nuclear medicine training institutions, 95 board-certified nuclear medicine physicians (a few of whom are also internationally recognized), and a regionally-indexed Philippine Journal of Nuclear Medicine. Qualifying examinations for technologists were also recently instated. International relations are constantly strengthened by sending trainees abroad and accepting foreign trainees here, as well as participating in conferences and other endeavors. While the cost of putting up nuclear medicine centers in the Philippines is still prohibitive, it should not pose too much of a constraint as there are foreign and local parties willing to help. With appropriate instrumentation, targeting radiopharmaceuticals and trained human resources, nuclear medicine can indeed contribute much to health care delivery. PMID:27408901

  11. Seismicity of the Earth 1900-2012 Philippine Sea plate and vicinity

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Smoczyk, Gregory M.; Hayes, Gavin P.; Hamburger, Michael W.; Benz, Harley M.; Villaseñor, Antonio; Furlong, Kevin P.

    2013-01-01

    The complex tectonics surrounding the Philippine Islands are dominated by the interactions of the Pacific, Sunda, and Eurasia plates with the Philippine Sea plate (PSP). The latter is unique because it is almost exclusively surrounded by zones of plate convergence. At its eastern and southeastern edges, the Pacific plate is subducted beneath the PSP at the Izu-Bonin, Mariana, and Yap trenches. Here, the subduction zone exhibits high rates of seismic activity to depths of over 600 km, though no great earthquakes (M>8.0) have been observed, likely because of weak coupling along the plate interface. In the northeast, the PSP subducts beneath Japan and the eastern margin of the Eurasia plate at the Nankai and Ryukyu trenches, extending westward to Taiwan. The Nankai portion of this subduction zone has hosted some of the largest earthquakes along the margins of the PSP, including a pair of Mw8.1 megathrust events in 1944 and 1946. Along its western margin, the convergence of the PSP and the Sunda plate is responsible for a broad and active plate boundary system extending along both sides of the Philippine Islands chain. The region is characterized by opposite-facing subduction systems on the east and west sides of the islands, and the archipelago is cut by a major transform structure: the Philippine Fault. Subduction of the Philippine Sea plate occurs at the eastern margin of the islands along the Philippine Trench and its northern extension, the East Luzon Trough. On the west side of Luzon, the Sunda Plate subducts eastward along a series of trenches, including the Manila Trench in the north, the smaller Negros Trench in the central Philippines, and the Sulu and Cotabato trenches in the south. Twentieth and early twentyfirst century seismic activity along the boundaries of the Philippine Sea plate has produced seven great (M>8.0) earthquakes and 250 large (M>7) events. Among the most destructive events were the 1923 Kanto, the 1948 Fukui, and the 1995 Kobe, Japan, earthquakes; the 1935 and the 1999 Chi-Chi, Taiwan, earthquakes; and the 1976 M7.6 Moro Gulf and 1990 M7.6 Luzon, Philippines, earthquakes.

  12. Historical atmospheric pollution trends in Southeast Asia inferred from lake sediment records.

    PubMed

    Engels, S; Fong, L S R Z; Chen, Q; Leng, M J; McGowan, S; Idris, M; Rose, N L; Ruslan, M S; Taylor, D; Yang, H

    2018-04-01

    Fossil fuel combustion leads to increased levels of air pollution, which negatively affects human health as well as the environment. Documented data for Southeast Asia (SEA) show a strong increase in fossil fuel consumption since 1980, but information on coal and oil combustion before 1980 is not widely available. Spheroidal carbonaceous particles (SCPs) and heavy metals, such as mercury (Hg), are emitted as by-products of fossil fuel combustion and may accumulate in sediments following atmospheric fallout. Here we use sediment SCP and Hg records from several freshwater lentic ecosystems in SEA (Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore) to reconstruct long-term, region-wide variations in levels of these two key atmospheric pollution indicators. The age-depth models of Philippine sediment cores do not reach back far enough to date first SCP presence, but single SCP occurrences are first observed between 1925 and 1950 for a Malaysian site. Increasing SCP flux is observed at our sites from 1960 onward, although individual sites show minor differences in trends. SCP fluxes show a general decline after 2000 at each of our study sites. While the records show broadly similar temporal trends across SEA, absolute SCP fluxes differ between sites, with a record from Malaysia showing SCP fluxes that are two orders of magnitude lower than records from the Philippines. Similar trends in records from China and Japan represent the emergence of atmospheric pollution as a broadly-based inter-region environmental problem during the 20th century. Hg fluxes were relatively stable from the second half of the 20th century onward. As catchment soils are also contaminated with atmospheric Hg, future soil erosion can be expected to lead to enhanced Hg flux into surface waters. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Age at marriage is rising for Asian women and men, according to new data.

    PubMed

    Greenspan, A

    1992-09-01

    The social transformations in Asia are described: delayed age at marriage and the proportions marrying. Policy implications are ascertained. The norm for female age at marriage has risen from 15 years to 17-18 years in south Asia, and from 18 years to 24 years and older in east Asia. Men's marriage age has also risen but not as much. Concurrent changes have occurred with fertility declines and small family sizes and lower population growth, with changing roles for women, and with emergent youth subcultures and increased prevalence of premarital sexual behavior. The number of singles is rising and expected to continue to rise. Examples are given of marriage age changes for Nepal and Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, South Korea, and regional totals. Southeast Asian countries experienced less dramatic changes, and changes primarily in the 20-24 year old group (from 30% to 74% of single women). Change for men has been less regular and with less magnitude. In Southeast Asia, the rise in marriage age for men has risen only 1-2 years compared with women. East Asia patterns vary by country, i.e., South Korean increases of 6 years, Taiwanese increases of 4 years, and 2 years in Japan. Single males have been common in South and Southeast Asia, while in East Asia married male teens 25 years are rare. Marriage timing for men is not as closely associated as for women with social and cultural change. Downturns for men follow momentous, temporary disruptions such as happen during wars and periods of migration, while women's patterns are more reflective of structural change. The trend for never marrying is on the increase, particularly for men in Japan (1.1% in the 1920s to 18% in the early 1980s for men 50 years). Women not ever marrying are increasing in Thailand, Bangladesh, and Hong Kong. Never marrying is common in urban or educated populations, i.e., Singapore, Thailand, and Philippines. The implications are a longer gap between successive generations and a shorter period of exposure to risk of conception. Research findings have shown that a 1 year delay in age at 1st marriage reduces fertility by 20% of a child. Schooling delays marriage age as well as marriage laws, but structural and economic changes may be more important than policy changes. Policies affect the status of women and opportunities.

  14. Antimicrobial resistance trends in community-acquired respiratory tract pathogens in the Western Pacific Region and South Africa: report from the SENTRY antimicrobial surveillance program, (1998-1999) including an in vitro evaluation of BMS284756.

    PubMed

    Bell, J M; Turnidge, J D; Jones, R N

    2002-02-01

    From 1998 to 1999, a large number of community-acquired respiratory tract isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae (n=566), Haemophilus influenzae (n=513) and Moraxella catarrhalis (n=228) were collected from 15 centres in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, China, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa and Taiwan through the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program. Isolates were tested against 26 antimicrobial agents using the NCCLS-recommended methods. Overall, 40% of S. pneumoniae isolates were resistant to penicillin with 18% of strains having high-level resistance (MIC > or =2 mg/l). Rates of erythromycin and clindamycin resistance were 41 and 23%, respectively. Penicillin-resistant strains showed high rates of resistance to other antimicrobial agents: 96% to trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), 84% to tetracycline and 81% to erythromycin. A significant proportion of penicillin-susceptible strains was also resistant to erythromycin (21%), tetracycline (29%) and TMP-SMZ (26%). Small numbers of strains were resistant to levofloxacin (0.7%), trovafloxacin (0.4%) and grepafloxacin (1.3%) where as all strains remained uniformly susceptible to quinupristin/dalfopristin and BMS284756 (MIC(90), 0.06 mg/l), a new desfluoroquinolone. beta-lactamases were, produced by 20% H. influenzae isolates and only rare strains showed intrinsic resistance to amoxycillin. Other beta-lactam agents showed good activity with rates of resistance less than 2% and all isolates showed susceptibility to cefixime, ceftibuten, cefepime and cefotaxime. Rates of resistance to tetracycline and chloramphenicol were also relatively low at 3%. The majority (98%) of M. catarrhalis isolates was found to be beta-lactamase-positive and resistant to penicillins, however, resistance to erythromycin and tetracycline was also low at 1.8%. Both H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis isolates were uniformly susceptible to the new desfluoroquinolone and tested fluoroquinolones.

  15. Effective Office Ergonomics Awareness: Experiences from Global Corporates.

    PubMed

    Madhwani, Kishore P; Nag, P K

    2017-01-01

    Use of laptops and hand-held devices increase the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). More time spent on this activity adopting faulty postures, higher the risk of developing such injuries. This study addresses training on office ergonomics with emphasis on sustainable behavior change among employees to work in safe postures, as this is a top priority in the corporate environment, today. To explore training intervention methods that ensure wider coverage of awareness on office ergonomics, thereby promoting safer working and suggesting sustainable programs for behavior change and job enrichment. A cross-sectional study was conducted (2012 - 2017), encompassing corporate office employees of multinational corporations selected from India, Dubai (U.A.E), Nairobi (East Africa), Durban (South Africa), South East Asian countries (Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Sri Lanka).Participant employees ( n = 3503) were divided into two groups to study the effect of interventions'; i.e., (a) deep training: 40 minute lecture by the investigator with a power point presentation ( n = 1765) using a mock workstation and (b) quick training: live demonstrations of 10 minutes ( n = 1738) using a live workstation. While deep training enhanced awareness in 95.51% and quick training in 96.59% globally, the latterwas much appreciated and educated maximum employees. From statistical analysis, quick training was found superior in providing comprehensive training and influencing behavior modification in India, but all over the world it was found highly superior in knowledge enlargement, skills enrichment in addition to providing comprehensive training ( P < 0.05). In countries, located to West of India, it significantly influenced behavior modification. As because few employees attend deep training lectures, the quick 10-minute program is highly promising as it is practical, replicable, yields increased awareness with wider employee coverage in a much shorter time, instilling a feeling of caring and confidence amongst them towards a robust office ergonomics program. This could lead to propose as a best practice for corporate offices globally.

  16. Results of a real-world study on vortioxetine in patients with major depressive disorder in South East Asia (REVIDA).

    PubMed

    Chin, Cheuk Ngen; Zain, Azhar; Hemrungrojn, Solaphat; Ung, Eng Khean; Kwansanit, Patanon; Au Yong, Koon Choong; Chong, Marvin Swee Woon; Inpa, Chalowat; Yen, Teck Hoe; Yeoh, Boon Beng David; Tay, Liam Kai; Bernardo, Carmina; Lim, Lionel Chee-Chong; Yap, Chin Hong; Fones, Calvin; Nayak, Ashwini; Nelleman, Lars

    2018-06-14

    The REVIDA study aimed to assess the evolution of major depression symptoms in South East Asian (SEA) patients treated with vortioxetine for major depression in real-world clinical practice. This non-interventional study was conducted from August 2016 to April 2017. A total of 138 patients (aged 18-65 years) with an active episode of major depression were recruited from Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Vortioxetine was initiated on the first visit and patients were followed for 3 months. Depression severity was assessed using the PHQ-9 questionnaire (patient assessed) and CGI-S scale (physician assessed); cognitive function was assessed with the PDQ-D questionnaire; work productivity and activity impairment (WPAI) was assessed with the WPAI questionnaire. At baseline, 89.9% of patients were moderately to severely depressed (PHQ-9 score ≥10). During the 3 month treatment period, mean ± SD PHQ-9 score decreased from 18.7 ± 5.7 to 5.0 ± 5.3, mean ± SD CGI-S score decreased from 4.4 ± 0.7 to 2.2 ± 1.1 and mean ± SD PDQ-D score decreased from 42.1 ± 18.8 to 13.4 ± 13.0. By Month 3, response and remission rates reached 80.8% and 59.0%, respectively. Work productivity loss decreased from 73.6% to 30.5%, while activity impairment decreased from 71.5% to 24.6%. Positive correlations were observed between PHQ-9, PDQ-D, and WPAI work productivity loss and activity impairment. By Month 3, 82.0% of patients were either not depressed or only mildly depressed (PHQ-9 score ≤9). In real-world clinical settings, vortioxetine was effective in reducing depression severity and improving cognitive function and work productivity in SEA patients with major depression.

  17. Opportunities for market-based programs worldwide that reduce greenhouse gas emissions: Initial Observations from Missions to the Philippines, South Africa, and Mexico

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

    Stanton-Hoyle, D.R.

    1998-07-01

    Globally, governments and industries are implementing innovative voluntary programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Often these programs encourage groups to use cost effective technologies that capture market-based forces. These programs are successful because they capitalize on existing opportunities where both the environment and the participants can benefit (i.e., win-win opportunities). This paper documents efforts to investigate these kinds of win-win opportunities in three developing countries: the Philippines, South Africa, and Mexico. Initial observations are provided as fresh information from the field, drawing on six missions during the last nine months. Utility costs, interest rates, and overall economic health appear tomore » critically affect opportunities in each country. By contrast, details of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) design and local climate were often important differences between countries. These affect opportunities, for example, to achieve significant savings from cooling systems or not. Looking at the success of ESCOs was somewhat surprising. One might expect to see the most successful ESCO activity where utility costs are high and upgrade opportunities are plentiful (such as in the Philippines). This was not the case, however, as research in the Philippines did not reveal even one active ESCO contract yet. Design practices for new construction were in need of the same thing that helps US design teams do a better job of energy-efficient design, better communications between design team members. Finally, industrial firms were doing a variety of EE upgrades in each country, but this level of activity was relatively small compared to what should be cost effective.« less

  18. Fine-scale population structure of Malays in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore and implications for association studies.

    PubMed

    Hoh, Boon-Peng; Deng, Lian; Julia-Ashazila, Mat Jusoh; Zuraihan, Zakaria; Nur-Hasnah, Ma'amor; Nur-Shafawati, Ab Rajab; Hatin, Wan Isa; Endom, Ismail; Zilfalil, Bin Alwi; Khalid, Yusoff; Xu, Shuhua

    2015-07-22

    Fine scale population structure of Malays - the major population in Malaysia, has not been well studied. This may have important implications for both evolutionary and medical studies. Here, we investigated the population sub-structure of Malay involving 431 samples collected from all states from peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. We identified two major clusters of individuals corresponding to the north and south peninsular Malaysia. On an even finer scale, the genetic coordinates of the geographical Malay populations are in correlation with the latitudes (R(2) = 0.3925; P = 0.029). This finding is further supported by the pairwise FST of Malay sub-populations, of which the north and south regions showed the highest differentiation (FST [North-south] = 0.0011). The collective findings therefore suggest that population sub-structure of Malays are more heterogenous than previously expected even within a small geographical region, possibly due to factors like different genetic origins, geographical isolation, could result in spurious association as demonstrated in our analysis. We suggest that cautions should be taken during the stage of study design or interpreting the association signals in disease mapping studies which are expected to be conducted in Malay population in the near future.

  19. Beyond the Coral Triangle: high genetic diversity and near panmixia in Singapore's populations of the broadcast spawning sea star Protoreaster nodosus

    PubMed Central

    Tay, Y. C.; Chng, M. W. P.; Sew, W. W. G.; Rheindt, F. E.; Tun, K. P. P.

    2016-01-01

    The Coral Triangle is widely considered the most important centre of marine biodiversity in Asia while areas on its periphery such as the South China Sea, have received much less interest. Here, we demonstrate that a small population of the knobbly sea star Protoreaster nodosus in Singapore has similarly high levels of genetic diversity as comparable Indonesian populations from the Coral Triangle. The high genetic diversity of this population is remarkable because it is maintained despite decades of continued anthropogenic disturbance. We postulate that it is probably due to broadcast spawning which is likely to maintain high levels of population connectivity. To test this, we analysed 6140 genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci for Singapore's populations and demonstrate a pattern of near panmixia. We here document a second case of high genetic diversity and low genetic structure for a broadcast spawner in Singapore, which suggests that such species have high resilience against anthropogenic disturbances. The study demonstrates the feasibility and power of using genome-wide SNPs for connectivity studies of marine invertebrates without a sequenced genome. PMID:27853600

  20. Historical record of nuclear activities from 129I in corals from the northern hemisphere (Philippines).

    PubMed

    Bautista, Angel T; Matsuzaki, Hiroyuki; Siringan, Fernando P

    2016-11-01

    Iodine-129 is a long-lived fission product that is majorly released in human nuclear activities (HNA) such as nuclear bomb testing, nuclear fuel reprocessing, and nuclear accidents. It is a good environmental tracer and former measurements of 129 I in corals from the southern hemisphere show the increasing trend of 129 I concentrations in the marine environment caused by HNA. Here we show time series of 129 I/ 127(stable) I isotopic ratios in two coral cores from the northern hemisphere (Philippines) and how these record 129 I released from HNA in even greater, unprecedented detail. Corals were taken from the Pacific Ocean (Baler) and South China Sea (Parola) sides of the Philippines. We observed nearly identical peaks ( 129 I/ 127 I ∼ 31.5 × 10 -12 ) in both the Baler and Parola records, each attributed to the year 1962 - the year with the highest recorded amount of 129 I release from nuclear bomb testing. This 1962 129 I bomb signal offers a new time marker that can be used to establish or confirm age models of corals, comparable to or possibly better than the well-known coral 14 C bomb peak. We also observed nuclear fuel reprocessing and Chernobyl accident 129 I signals in years 1977, 1980, and 1986, concurrently in Parola and with 9 to 11-year lags in Baler. This discrepancy in timing suggests that 129 I was transported to the South China Sea and Pacific Ocean sides of the Philippines directly from the atmosphere and through prevailing ocean currents, respectively. Lastly, we observed surprisingly high 129 I/ 127 I isotopic ratios (i.e., 22.8 to 38.9 × 10 -12 ) in the Parola record after the year 1996, which is in contrast to the decreasing trend observed in the Baler record and in published 129 I releases of different HNA. These results possibly indicate the presence of unknown sources of 129 I in the South China Sea region. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. 12 CFR 1281.1 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... Indian or Alaskan Native—a person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South... Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam; (3) Black or African American—a person having origins...

  2. 12 CFR 1281.1 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... Indian or Alaskan Native—a person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South... Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam; (3) Black or African American—a person having origins...

  3. Emergence of the Asian genotype of DENV-1 in South India.

    PubMed

    Cecilia, D; Patil, J A; Kakade, M B; Walimbe, A; Alagarasu, K; Anukumar, B; Abraham, A

    2017-10-01

    A large outbreak of dengue occurred in Tamil Nadu, South India in 2012 with 12,000 cases and CFR of 0.5%. Molecular characterization of virus present in the sera of dengue patients was undertaken to determine if there were changes in the virus population. All four serotypes were circulating but DENV-1 was dominant, present in 52% of the serotyped samples. Furthermore, the genotype of only DENV-1 had changed; the Asian genotype had displaced the American/African. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Asian genotype was introduced from Singapore and shared 99% similarity with viruses, associated with large outbreaks in Singapore and Sri Lanka. We report for the first time the emergence of the Asian genotype of DENV-1 in southern India causing an extensive and severe outbreak. The study proves how movement of DENV can affect dengue outbreaks and underscores the need for close molecular monitoring of DENV. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Comparison of vector autoregressive (VAR) and vector error correction models (VECM) for index of ASEAN stock price

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suharsono, Agus; Aziza, Auliya; Pramesti, Wara

    2017-12-01

    Capital markets can be an indicator of the development of a country's economy. The presence of capital markets also encourages investors to trade; therefore investors need information and knowledge of which shares are better. One way of making decisions for short-term investments is the need for modeling to forecast stock prices in the period to come. Issue of stock market-stock integration ASEAN is very important. The problem is that ASEAN does not have much time to implement one market in the economy, so it would be very interesting if there is evidence whether the capital market in the ASEAN region, especially the countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand deserve to be integrated or still segmented. Furthermore, it should also be known and proven What kind of integration is happening: what A capital market affects only the market Other capital, or a capital market only Influenced by other capital markets, or a Capital market as well as affecting as well Influenced by other capital markets in one ASEAN region. In this study, it will compare forecasting of Indonesian share price (IHSG) with neighboring countries (ASEAN) including developed and developing countries such as Malaysia (KLSE), Singapore (SGE), Thailand (SETI), Philippines (PSE) to find out which stock country the most superior and influential. These countries are the founders of ASEAN and share price index owners who have close relations with Indonesia in terms of trade, especially exports and imports. Stock price modeling in this research is using multivariate time series analysis that is VAR (Vector Autoregressive) and VECM (Vector Error Correction Modeling). VAR and VECM models not only predict more than one variable but also can see the interrelations between variables with each other. If the assumption of white noise is not met in the VAR modeling, then the cause can be assumed that there is an outlier. With this modeling will be able to know the pattern of relationship or linkage of share prices of each country in ASEAN. The best modeling comparison result of the ASEAN stock price index is VAR.

  5. A comparison of the socio-economic determinants of growth retardation in South African and Filipino infants.

    PubMed

    Jones, Laura L; Griffiths, Paula L; Adair, Linda S; Norris, Shane A; Richter, Linda M; Cameron, Noël

    2008-12-01

    To examine the association between household socio-economic status (SES) at birth and poor infant growth such as small for gestational age (SGA) and stunting across two different socio-cultural settings: South Africa and the Philippines. Data were from two longitudinal birth cohorts, the Birth to Twenty (Bt20) study in South Africa and the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey (CLHNS) in the Philippines. Bt20 infants (n 2293 total; reduced to 758 (SGA), 450 (stunting 1 year) and 401 (stunting 2 years)) and CLHNS infants (n 2513 total; reduced to 2161 (SGA), 1820 (stunting 1 year) and 1710 (stunting 2 years)). CLHNS infants were significantly more likely to be born SGA (20.9 v. 11.7 %) and be stunted at 1 year (32.6 v. 8.7 %) and 2 years (48.9 v. 21.1 %) compared with Bt20 infants. Logistic regression analyses showed that SES (index) was a significant predictor of stunting at 1 and 2 years of age in the CLHNS cohort. SES (index or individual variables) was not a significant predictor of SGA in either cohort, or of stunting in the Bt20 cohort. Maternal education, ownership of a television and toilet facilities were all independent predictors of stunting in the CLHNS cohort. The social and economic milieu within the Philippines appears to place CLHNS infants at greater risk of being born SGA and being stunted compared with Bt20 infants. The present research highlights the importance of investigating the individual SES variables that predict infantile growth faltering, to identify the key areas for context-specific policy development and intervention.

  6. Phylogeography of pink pineapple mealybugs, Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell) reveals the history of pineapple introduction and cultivation in China.

    PubMed

    He, Y B; Zhan, R L; Sun, G M; Wu, J B; Zhao, Y L

    2015-08-19

    The pink pineapple mealybug (PPM), Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), is a widespread plant-sucking insect of considerable concern because it transmits the pineapple mealybug wilt-associated virus. Its distribution is closely linked with its host, the pineapple [Ananas comosus (L.) Merrill] because of its wingless and parthenogenetic characteristics. To investigate the history of D. brevipes introduction and the cultivation of pineapple in China, samples of D. brevipes were collected from the main pineapple production region in China, and from Thailand, and the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene was analyzed. Homologous sequences of D. brevipes COI from Brazil, Thailand, and Philippines that are deposited in GenBank were compared. Phylogenetic analyses suggest there are close genetic relationships between PPM populations from Hawaii, Brazil, the Philippines, and from Thailand and China, which probably originate from South America. It is suggested that most PPMs in China were introduced from South America by way of Southeast Asia, being accompanied by the pineapple seedling. Conversely, some PPMs represented by Haplotype-WN from Wanning of China, and Lampang of Thailand were found to differ greatly from populations in Hawaii, Brazil, the Philippines, Thailand, and China. It is possible that another route was used for the introduction and distribution of pineapple, or that pineapple might have originated in Southeast Asia.

  7. 19 CFR 159.34 - Certified quarterly rate.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY; DEPARTMENT OF THE..., Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, People's Republic of China, Philippines, Portugal, Republic of South Africa... Customs purposes in connection with merchandise exported on such date. (2) Certified daily rate. If the...

  8. 19 CFR 159.34 - Certified quarterly rate.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY; DEPARTMENT OF THE..., Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, People's Republic of China, Philippines, Portugal, Republic of South Africa... Customs purposes in connection with merchandise exported on such date. (2) Certified daily rate. If the...

  9. 19 CFR 159.34 - Certified quarterly rate.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY; DEPARTMENT OF THE..., Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, People's Republic of China, Philippines, Portugal, Republic of South Africa... Customs purposes in connection with merchandise exported on such date. (2) Certified daily rate. If the...

  10. 19 CFR 159.34 - Certified quarterly rate.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY; DEPARTMENT OF THE..., Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, People's Republic of China, Philippines, Portugal, Republic of South Africa... Customs purposes in connection with merchandise exported on such date. (2) Certified daily rate. If the...

  11. 14 CFR 152.403 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... East, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands, including, but not limited to China, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands, and Samoa; or (4) American Indian or Alaskan Native: A... Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of...

  12. State of rare disease management in Southeast Asia.

    PubMed

    Shafie, Asrul Akmal; Chaiyakunapruk, Nathorn; Supian, Azuwana; Lim, Jeremy; Zafra, Matt; Hassali, Mohamed Azmi Ahmad

    2016-08-02

    Rare diseases, also referred to as orphan diseases, are characterised by their low prevalence with majority of them are chronically debilitating and life threatening. Given the low prevalence and the widely dispersed but very small patient base for each disease, there may often be a disproportion in the availability of treatments and resources to manage patients, spur research and train experts. This is especially true in Southeast Asian countries that are currently in the process of implementing or revising their universal health coverage schemes. This paper aims to examine the status of rare disease management in Southeast Asian countries. It will serve as the basis for a more active discussion on how countries in the region can address an under-recognised rare disease burden and enhance national and regional capacities. The study consists of literature reviews and key stakeholders interviews in six focus countries, including the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand and five countries as best practice, comprising of France, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, and South Korea. Rare disease management initiatives across each country were examined based on the World Health Organization's framework for action in strengthening health systems. The results suggest rare disease management remains challenging across Southeast Asia, as many of the focus countries face fundamental issues from basic healthcare systems to funding. Nonetheless, there are substantial improvement opportunities, including leveraging best practices from around the world and organising a multi-stakeholder and regional approach and strategy. Southeast Asian countries have made significant progress in the management of rare disease, but there remain key areas for substantial development opportunities.

  13. [Family planning. A survey of United Nations around the world].

    PubMed

    1974-01-01

    Responses to the second worldwide survey of 80 nations on their population policy can be divided into 3 categories. First are countries with large official programs of family planning in existence: Egypt, Kenya, Tunisia, Barbados, Colombia, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, China, India, Iran, Japan, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Viet-nam, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey, Denmark, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Yugoslavia, Canada, and Fiji. Madagascar and New Zealand are starting programs. The second category is countries that encourage private family planning programs: Tanzania, Mexico, Israel, Cambodia, Bahrain, Jordan, Laos, Syria, Austria, France, West Germany, Finland, and Norway. Third are listed countries that do not officially support, or that forbid contraception: Gabon, Malawi, Zambia, Greece, Italy, and Spain. Thus Asia and North Africa have the most ambitious programs, but Europe and North America practice contraception universally.

  14. Reshaping America’s Alliances for the Long Haul

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-01-01

    Zawahiri, and their key lieutenants; > A number of affiliated groups or “ franchises ” that support and in some cases have pledged their loyalty to bin...that include the United States and other nations in the region — in particular Japan, Australia, South Korea, India, Indonesia, Malaysia , Singapore

  15. The Internationalization of Higher Education in East Asia: A Comparative Ethnographic Narrative of Japanese Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Howe, Edward R.

    2009-01-01

    How is Japan becoming "internationalized"? A common response is "through student mobility". But can Japanese universities continue to attract thousands of East Asian students annually, given increasing competition from other Pacific Rim nations like Australia, South Korea and Singapore? Japan's "internationalization",…

  16. Negotiating Critical Literacies in Classrooms.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Comber, Barbara, Ed.; Simpson, Anne, Ed.

    This book brings together accounts of educators who have sought to make a difference in the lives of their students through literacy education--from university classrooms in the United States, England, and South Africa, to policy and curriculum development in Singapore and Australia. The literacy classrooms explored in the book range from the…

  17. Main Science and Technology Indicators, Volume 2012, Issue 2

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    OECD Publishing (NJ3), 2013

    2013-01-01

    This biannual publication provides a set of indicators that reflect the level and structure of the efforts undertaken by OECD member countries and seven non-member economies (Argentina, China, Romania, Russian Federation, Singapore, South Africa, Chinese Taipei) in the field of science and technology. These data include final or provisional…

  18. U.S. Foreign Aid to East and South Asia: Selected Recipients

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-01-03

    28 Bangladesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 India...25 Table 14. U.S. Assistance to Bangladesh , 2003-2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Table 15...400 600 800 1000 1200 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 est. Bangladesh Cambodia India Indonesia Pakistan Philippines Figure 1. Major U.S. Aid Recipient in

  19. BKCASE(TM) Body of Knowledge and Curriculum to Advance Systems Engineering

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-04-28

    Lawson, Lawson Konsult AB, Sweden Johann Amsenga, Eclipse RDC, South Africa Alex Lee , Defence Science and Technology Agency, Singapore Erik Aslaksen...Engineering Division, US Tim Ferris, University of South Australia and INCOSE, Australia Jean-Claude Roussel, EADS, France Kevin Forsberg, Center for...Systems Management and INCOSE, US Sven-Olaf Schulze, Berner & Mattner Systemtechnik GmbH, Germany Richard Freeman, Air Force Center for Systems

  20. Developing an alcohol policy assessment toolkit: application in the western Pacific.

    PubMed

    Carragher, Natacha; Byrnes, Joshua; Doran, Christopher M; Shakeshaft, Anthony

    2014-10-01

    To demonstrate the development and feasibility of a tool to assess the adequacy of national policies aimed at reducing alcohol consumption and related problems. We developed a quantitative tool - the Toolkit for Evaluating Alcohol policy Stringency and Enforcement (TEASE-16) - to assess the level of stringency and enforcement of 16 alcohol control policies. TEASE-16 was applied to policy data from nine study areas in the western Pacific: Australia, China excluding Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore and Viet Nam. Correlation and regression analyses were then used to examine the relationship between alcohol policy scores and income-adjusted levels of alcohol consumption per capita. Vast differences exist in how alcohol control policies are implemented in the western Pacific. Out of a possible 100 points, the nine study areas achieved TEASE-16 scores that ranged from 24.1 points for the Philippines to 67.5 points for Australia. Study areas with high policy scores - indicating relatively strong alcohol policy frameworks - had lower alcohol consumption per capita. Sensitivity analyses indicated scores and rankings for each study area remained relatively stable across different weighting schemes, indicating that TEASE-16 was robust. TEASE-16 could be used by international and national regulatory bodies and policy-makers to guide the design, implementation, evaluation and refinement of effective policies to reduce alcohol consumption and related problems.

  1. Female labour force participation and fertility.

    PubMed

    Concepcion, M B

    1974-01-01

    The levels of labor force participation by women in selected Asian countries were recorded in a series of censuses taken over a period of years. These levels were less influenced than male employment levels by economic conditions and more influenced by cultural traits of the country. Postwar trends seem to have fallen in Korea, risen in Singapore and the Philippines, and remained steady in Japan, Malaya, and Thailand. The limitations of these data are mentioned. In Thailand and West Malaysia greater percentages of women worked in agricultural than non-agricultural employment; in the Philippines, where women did not work so much in agricultural pursuits, their jobs were still in traditional rather than in development industries. In the cities of Bangkok, Manila, and Kuala Lumpur, fertility was lower for working than for non-working women. In rural agricultural areas, the fertility of working women was minimally higher, probably due to economic need of lar ger families. It is concluded that urban life separates the employment and the family roles of working women, leading to lowered fertility; this does not occur in rural areas. The creation of new roles for women alternative or supplementary to marriage and motherhood would result in lowered fertility. In high fertility Asian countries, policies directed toward greater participation of women in non-agricultural work and great er exposure to an urban lifestyle might achieve fertility reductions.

  2. Observations of Aerosol Optical Properties over 15 AERONET Sites in Southeast Asia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chan, J. D.; Lagrosas, N.; Uy, S. N.; Holben, B. N.; Dorado, S.; Tobias, V., Jr.; Anh, N. X.; Po-Hsiung, L.; Janjai, S.; Salinas Cortijo, S. V.; Liew, S. C.; Lim, H. S.; Lestari, P.

    2014-12-01

    Mean column-integrated optical properties from ground sun photometers of the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) are studied to provide an overview of the characteristics of aerosols over the region as part of the 7 Southeast Asian Studies (7-SEAS) mission. The 15 AERONET sites with the most available level 2 data products are selected from Thailand (Chiang Mai, Mukdahan, Songkhla and Silpakorn University), Malaysia (University Sains Malaysia), Laos (Vientiane), Vietnam (Bac Giang, Bac Lieu and Nha Trang), Taiwan (National Cheng Kung University and Central Weather Bureau Taipei), Singapore, Indonesia (Bandung) and the Philippines (Manila Observatory and Notre Dame of Marbel University). For all 15 sites, high angstrom exponent values (α>1) have been observed. Chiang Mai and USM have the highest mean Angstrom exponent indicating the dominance of fine particles that can be ascribed to biomass burning and urbanization. Sites with the lowest Angstrom exponent values include Bac Lieu (α=1.047) and Manila Observatory (α=1.021). From the average lognormal size distribution curves, Songkhla and NDMU show the smallest annual variation in the fine mode region, indicating the observed fine aerosols are local to the sites. The rest of the sites show high variation which could be due to large scale forcings (e.g., monsoons and biomass burnings) that affect aerosol properties in these sites. Both high and low single scattering albedo at 440 nm (ω0440) values are found in sites located in major urban areas. Silpakorn University, Manila Observatory and Vientiane have all mean ω0440 < 0.90. Singapore and CWB Taipei have ω0440 > 0.94. The discrepancy in ω0 suggests different types of major emission sources present in urban areas. The absorptivity of urban aerosols can vary depending on the strength of traffic emissions, types of fuel combusted and automobile engines used, and the effect of biomass burning aerosols during the dry season. High aerosol optical depth values (τa550 > 0.4) are mainly found over inland sites north of Songkhla and south of China on mainland Asia. Major pollution types in the region include biomass burning smoke and urban aerosols. The highest average τa550 is measured in Bac Giang, which has been studied to be greatly affected by aerosol sources from Eastern China during the later parts of the year.

  3. Origin of marginal basins of the NW Pacific and their plate tectonic reconstructions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Junyuan; Ben-Avraham, Zvi; Kelty, Tom; Yu, Ho-Shing

    2014-03-01

    Geometry of basins can indicate their tectonic origin whether they are small or large. The basins of Bohai Gulf, South China Sea, East China Sea, Japan Sea, Andaman Sea, Okhotsk Sea and Bering Sea have typical geometry of dextral pull-apart. The Java, Makassar, Celebes and Sulu Seas basins together with grabens in Borneo also comprise a local dextral, transform-margin type basin system similar to the central and southern parts of the Shanxi Basin in geometry. The overall configuration of the Philippine Sea resembles a typical sinistral transpressional "pop-up" structure. These marginal basins except the Philippine Sea basin generally have similar (or compatible) rift history in the Cenozoic, but there do be some differences in the rifting history between major basins or their sub-basins due to local differences in tectonic settings. Rifting kinematics of each of these marginal basins can be explained by dextral pull-apart or transtension. These marginal basins except the Philippine Sea basin constitute a gigantic linked, dextral pull-apart basin system.

  4. 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.

  5. Fertility trends and prospects in East and South-East Asian countries and implications for policies and programmes.

    PubMed

    Leete, R

    1991-01-01

    Fertility trends and prospects for east and southeast Asian countries including cities in China, Taiwan, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Myanmar, and Viet Nam are described. Additional discussion focuses on family planning methods, marriage patterns, fertility prospects, theories of fertility change, and policy implications for the labor supply, labor migrants, increased female participation in the labor force (LFP), human resource development, and social policy measures. Figures provide graphic descriptions of total fertility rates (TFRS) for 12 countries/areas for selected years between 1960-90, TFR for selected Chinese cities between 1955-90, the % of currently married women 15-44 years using contraception by main method for selected years and for 10 countries, actual and projected TFR and annual growth rates between 1990-2020 for Korea and Indonesia. It is noted that the 1st southeast Asian country to experience a revolution in reproductive behavior was Japan with below replacement level fertility by 1960. This was accomplished by massive postponement in age at marriage and rapid reduction in marital fertility. Fertility was controlled primarily through abortion. Thereafter every southeast Asian country experienced fertility declines. Hong Kong, Penang, Shanghai, Singapore, and Taipei and declining fertility before the major thrust of family planning (FP). Chinese fertility declines were reflected in the 1970s to the early 1980s and paralleled the longer, later, fewer campaign and policy which set ambitious targets which were strictly enforced at all levels of administration. Korea and Taiwan's declines were a result of individual decision making to restrict fertility which was encouraged by private and government programs to provide FP information and subsidized services. The context was social and economic change. Indonesia's almost replacement level fertility was achieved dramatically through the 1970s and 1980s by institutional change in ideas about families and schooling and material welfare, changes in the structure of governance, and changes in state ideology. Thailand's decline began in the 1960s and is attributed to social change, change in cultural setting, demand, and FP efforts. Modest declines characterize Malaysia and the Philippines, which have been surpassed by Myanmar and Viet Nam. The policy implications are that there are shortages in labor supply which can be remedied with labor migration, pronatalist policy, more capital intensive industries, and preparation for a changing economy.

  6. Population and development in Asia and the Pacific: a demographic analysis.

    PubMed

    Debavalya, N

    1982-06-01

    Close examinations of population trends shows that the new trends reflect demographic changes that have occurred in many developing countries in Asia and the Pacific. In East Asia the population growth rate has declined rather rapidly from 1.94% in 1960-65 to 1.38% in 1975-80 and 1.24% in 1980-85. Since nearly 85% of this region's population is accounted for by China, demographic trends there virtually dictate the trends for the region as a whole. The available data suggest that the growth rate in China declined from 2.02% in 1970-75 to 1.4% in 1975-80 and is expected to reach 1.27% during 1980-85. The sharp decline in China's population growth rate is expected to continue. It is anticipated that the population of East Asia will increase to 1.4 billion by the year 2000. In addition, the growth rate has declined significantly in Japan and the Republic of Korea. The growth rate is declining in Eastern South and Middle South Asia as well. Longterm declines have brought growth rates down in Sri Lanka and Singapore. More recently, the rate of growth also has begun to fall in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand, while it remains generally at high levels in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan. In the Oceania region, 79% of which is made up of Australia and New Zealand, the growth rate is also steadily decreasing. Despite the decrease in the growth rate of Asia and the Pacific, especially during 1980-2000, in absolute terms its growth will be the largest in the world during these 29 years; 908 million out of 1687 million of the total growth. Asia and the Pacific will contribute more than 45 million people a year during the final 20 years of this century. For the world as a whole, the new estimates and projections indicate a slow but steady decline of the crude birthrate from 36.3/1000 in 1950-55 to 28.5 in 1975-80, then to 23.9 in 1995-2000, and finally to 17.9 in 2020-2025. China had a birthrate estimated at about 21 in 1975-80; and India and Indonesia had estimated rates in the range of 33-35. Japan, Australia, and New Zealand had estimated birthrates in the range of 15-18 in 1975-80. As was the case with fertility, the largest gains in mortality reduction have accrued among the less developed regions. In Asia mortality declines have slowed during recent years. Some substantial shifts in patterns of international migration have occurred in the flow of workers into the oil rich countries of Middle and Western South Asia. Migrants come closely from countries within the region, and there are growing numbers from India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, and elsewhere. The number of people living in urban centers in Asia is increasing very rapidly. Meeting basic needs requires a dual target for each less developed country--an increase in gross national product per capita and a redistribution of income.

  7. Literature of Southeast Asia.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Echols, John M.

    This paper provides a brief description of the literature of Southeast Asia. This area, which embraces the region south of China and east of India, includes the modern nations of Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, The Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. The earliest historical influence came from India around the beginnings of the…

  8. 76 FR 68148 - Certain Stilbenic Optical Brightening Agents From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-11-03

    ... determined that Philippines, Indonesia, Ukraine, Thailand, Colombia, and South Africa are countries... Flat-Rolled Carbon-Quality Steel Products from the Russian Federation, 65 FR 5510, 5518 (February 4...\\ See Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value: Certain Cold-Rolled Carbon Quality Steel...

  9. 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

  10. Metrosideros polymorpha Gaudich

    Treesearch

    James A. Allen

    2002-01-01

    Metrosideros is a genus of about 50 species. With the exception of one species found in South Africa, all grow in the Pacific from the Philippines, through Papua New Guinea, to New Zealand and on high volcanic islands (Wagner and others 1990). Five species occur in the Hawaiian Islands (Wagner and others 1990). Metrosideros polymorpha...

  11. Gender in Popular Education. Methods for Empowerment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walters, Shirley, Ed.; Manicom, Linzi, Ed.

    This book is a collection of critical reflections on feminist adult education work in grassroots organizations, development projects, formal institutions, and community education programs in a wide variety of countries: South Africa, India, the United States, Canada, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Australia. The contributors come from a variety of…

  12. Philippines.

    PubMed

    1986-08-01

    The Philippines is an archipelago of 7100 islands and islets, 11 of which compose about 95% of the total area and population. The majority of the Filipinos are descendants of Indonesians and Malays. Approximately 90% of the population are Christian with the majority of the remaining 10% being Moslems. In the 1960s, the annual population growth rate was roughly 3%, but it fell to 2.4% in the late 1970s and was still 2.4% in 1985. In 1970, President Marcos implemented an official family planning policy to reduce the high growth rate and thereby stimulate economic development. A population commission coordinates family planning efforts. Both the Spanish (1521-1898) and the United States (1898-1946) have ruled the Philippines with a brief occupation by the Japanese (1942-1945). The US assisted in the reconstruction of the economy following World War II and continues to maintain and operate military bases. Further, from 1946-1986, the Philippines has received $3.7 billion in economic and military assistance from the US. The government operated under a constitutional democracy from 1946-1972, but in 1972 President Marcos declared martial law. In 1981, martial law ended and Marcos called for a presidential election. After winning the election, he called for an amendment of the 1972 constitution making him, rather than the prime minister, the head of government. Even though martial law ended in 1981, the Marcos government retained its wide powers to arrest and detain anyone. In February 1986, popular support backed by a peaceful civilian-military uprising brought Corazon Aquino to the Presidency. In the mid 1980s a severe economic recession hit the Philippines with the real GNP growth rate ranging from -5.3%-0%. The Philippines have diplomatic relations with the south east Asian nations, many East Bloc nations, the US, China, Cuba, and the Soviet Union.

  13. Results from the Survey of Antibiotic Resistance (SOAR) 2012-14 in Thailand, India, South Korea and Singapore.

    PubMed

    Torumkuney, D; Chaiwarith, R; Reechaipichitkul, W; Malatham, K; Chareonphaibul, V; Rodrigues, C; Chitins, D S; Dias, M; Anandan, S; Kanakapura, S; Park, Y J; Lee, K; Lee, H; Kim, J Y; Lee, Y; Lee, H K; Kim, J H; Tan, T Y; Heng, Y X; Mukherjee, P; Morrissey, I

    2016-05-01

    To provide susceptibility data for community-acquired respiratory tract isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis collected in 2012-14 from four Asian countries. MICs were determined using Etest(®) for all antibiotics except erythromycin, which was evaluated by disc diffusion. Susceptibility was assessed using CLSI, EUCAST and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) breakpoints. For macrolide/clindamycin interpretation, breakpoints were adjusted for incubation in CO2 where available. Susceptibility of S. pneumoniae was generally lower in South Korea than in other countries. Penicillin susceptibility assessed using CLSI oral or EUCAST breakpoints ranged from 21.2% in South Korea to 63.8% in Singapore. In contrast, susceptibility using CLSI intravenous breakpoints was much higher, at 79% in South Korea and ∼95% or higher elsewhere. Macrolide susceptibility was ∼20% in South Korea and ∼50%-60% elsewhere. Among S. pyogenes isolates (India only), erythromycin susceptibility (∼20%) was lowest of the antibiotics tested. In H. influenzae antibiotic susceptibility was high except for ampicillin, where susceptibility ranged from 16.7% in South Korea to 91.1% in India. South Korea also had a high percentage (18.1%) of β-lactamase-negative ampicillin-resistant isolates. Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid susceptibility for each pathogen (PK/PD high dose) was between 93% and 100% in all countries except for H. influenzae in South Korea (62.5%). Use of EUCAST versus CLSI breakpoints had profound differences for cefaclor, cefuroxime and ofloxacin, with EUCAST showing lower susceptibility. There was considerable variability in susceptibility among countries in the same region. Thus, continued surveillance is necessary to track future changes in antibiotic resistance. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  14. Shell appraising deepwater discovery off Philippines

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

    Scherer, M.; Lambers, E.J.T.; Steffens, G.S.

    1993-05-10

    Shell International Petroleum Co. Ltd. negotiated a farmout in 1990 from Occidental International Exploration and Production Co. for Block SC-38 in the South China Sea off Palawan, Philippines, following Oxy's discovery of gas in 1989 in a Miocene Nido limestone buildup. Under the terms of the farmout agreement, Shell became operator with a 50% share. Following the disappointing well North Iloc 1, Shell was successful in finding oil and gas in Malampaya 1. Water 700-1,000 m deep, remoteness, and adverse weather conditions have imposed major challenges for offshore operations. The paper describes the tectonic setting; the Nido limestone play; themore » Malampaya discovery; and Shell's appraisal studies.« less

  15. 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.

  16. The interannual variation in monthly temperature over Northeast China during summer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Wei; Lu, Riyu

    2014-05-01

    The interannual variations of summer surface air temperature over Northeast China (NEC) were investigated through a month-to-month analysis from May to August. The results suggested that the warmer temperature over NEC is related to a local positive 500-hPa geopotential height anomaly for all four months. However, the teleconnection patterns of atmospheric circulation anomalies associated with the monthly surface air temperature over NEC behave as a distinguished subseasonal variation, although the local positive height anomaly is common from month to month. In May and June, the teleconnection pattern is characterized by a wave train in the upper and middle troposphere from the Indian Peninsula to NEC. This wave train is stronger in June than in May, possibly due to the positive feedback between the wave train and the South Asian rainfall anomaly in June, when the South Asian summer monsoon has been established. In July and August, however, the teleconnection pattern associated with the NEC temperature anomalies is characterized by an East Asia/Pacific (EAP) or Pacific/Japan (PJ) pattern, with the existence of precipitation anomalies over the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea. This pattern is much clearer in July corresponding to the stronger convection over the Philippine Sea compared to that in August.

  17. The complete genome sequence of a south Indian isolate of Rice tungro spherical virus reveals evidence of genetic recombination between distinct isolates.

    PubMed

    Sailaja, B; Anjum, Najreen; Patil, Yogesh K; Agarwal, Surekha; Malathi, P; Krishnaveni, D; Balachandran, S M; Viraktamath, B C; Mangrauthia, Satendra K

    2013-12-01

    In this study, complete genome of a south Indian isolate of Rice tungro spherical virus (RTSV) from Andhra Pradesh (AP) was sequenced, and the predicted amino acid sequence was analysed. The RTSV RNA genome consists of 12,171 nt without the poly(A) tail, encoding a putative typical polyprotein of 3,470 amino acids. Furthermore, cleavage sites and sequence motifs of the polyprotein were predicted. Multiple alignment with other RTSV isolates showed a nucleotide sequence identity of 95% to east Indian isolates and 90% to Philippines isolates. A phylogenetic tree based on complete genome sequence showed that Indian isolates clustered together, while Vt6 and PhilA isolates of Philippines formed two separate clusters. Twelve recombination events were detected in RNA genome of RTSV using the Recombination Detection Program version 3. Recombination analysis suggested significant role of 5' end and central region of genome in virus evolution. Further, AP and Odisha isolates appeared as important RTSV isolates involved in diversification of this virus in India through recombination phenomenon. The new addition of complete genome of first south Indian isolate provided an opportunity to establish the molecular evolution of RTSV through recombination analysis and phylogenetic relationship.

  18. Rehabilitation Services and Education in Four Asian Countries: Thailand, South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Roy K.; Jo, Song-Jae; Ong, Lee Za; Kotbungkair, Wilaiporn

    2007-01-01

    Booming economic prosperity, the restoration of sociopolitical stability, and the rise of disability rights have given Asian countries both impetus and resources to improve quality of life among their citizens with disabilities. This article provides an overview of rehabilitation services and training pertaining to (a) rehabilitation-related laws…

  19. Cross-National Similarities and Differences in Employee Perceptions of Issues in the Work Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ripley, David; Hudson, Irene; Turner, Robin; Osman-Gani, AAhad

    2006-01-01

    This exploratory study examines cross-national similarities and differences in employee perceptions of issues in the work environment in 17 organizational work settings in seven Asia-Pacific countries; Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United States. Employees at these 17 sites indicated their degree of…

  20. The Pacific Phased Adaptive Approach: U.S. BMD in Response to the DPRK

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-12-01

    order to garner votes in a district with a number of South Korean immigrants , a candidate endorsed support for bill that request state schools teach...engaging in more free trade agreements. The ROK has concluded agreements with the United States, Chile , Singapore, India, and Peru.231 The ROK has also

  1. 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…

  2. Polyvalent Adult Education Centres. Final Report of the Asian Regional Seminar on Polyvalent Adult Education Centres.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ministry of Education and Social Welfare, New Delhi (India).

    The Asian Regional Seminar on Polyvalent Adult Education Centers, held during September, 1971 in Bombay, was attended by individuals representing United Nations agencies, Afghanistan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Republic of Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Phillippines, Singapore, South Vietnam, and Thailand. Seminar objectives included…

  3. Emerging Asian Economics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Trezise, Philip H.

    What we can expect in the future from the miracle economies of Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong, whether they pose a threat to the older industrial states of Western Europe and North American, and whether China is to be the next emerging Asian economy are discussed. The amazing economic recovery of these East Asian countries…

  4. Generalized Trust and Trust in Institutions in Confucian Asia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tan, Soo Jiuan; Tambyah, Siok Kuan

    2011-01-01

    This study examines generalized trust and trust in institutions in Confucian Asia, covering six countries namely, China, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam, and one dependent region, Hong Kong. Using data from the 2006 AsiaBarometer Survey, our study affirms the reliability and validity of using a two-item scale to measure…

  5. Growing concerns and controversies to Taiwan's National Health Insurance-what are the lessons from mainland China, South Korea and Singapore?

    PubMed

    Lee, Yen-Han; Ang, Ting Fang Alvin; Chiang, Timothy C; Kaplan, Warren A

    2018-01-01

    It has been over 20 years since Taiwan's implementation of its National Health Insurance (NHI) program. Under this program, the health insurance coverage rate has reached approximately 99% of the population. Despite guaranteeing the residents of Taiwan equal access regardless of socioeconomic status and background, critical problems and controversies persist, and they continue to challenge the NHI. We analyze the primary issues facing the NHI program with emphasis on financial and consumer behavioral aspects. Furthermore, we apply models from mainland China, South Korea and Singapore to discuss what Taiwan could learn from the systems employed by these countries to modify the NHI. Targeting the needs of the NHI, we have three policy recommendations: separating the NHI scheme into different target populations, strengthening the NHI referral system and regulating the access of overseas citizens to health services while in Taiwan. After two decades in existence, problems persist and there is a continuing need to improve Taiwan's NHI. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  6. Prevalence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy on an electrocardiogram-based pre-participation screening programme in a young male South-East Asian population: results from the Singapore Armed Forces Electrocardiogram and Echocardiogram screening protocol.

    PubMed

    Ng, Choon Ta; Chee, Tek Siong; Ling, Lee Fong; Lee, Yian Ping; Ching, Chi Keong; Chua, Terrance S J; Cheok, Christopher; Ong, Hean Yee

    2011-06-01

    Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a leading cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in young people in the USA. Pre-participation screening for athletes might reduce the incidence of SCD. In Singapore, military service is compulsory for all young able-bodied male citizens. The Singapore Armed Forces Electrocardiogram and Echocardiogram (SAFE) pre-participation screening protocol based on the Italian programme was introduced. This study evaluates the prevalence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in a young male South-East Asian population. From October 2008 to May 2009, all male military conscripts underwent pre-participation screening. For all conscripts whose electrocardiogram (ECG) findings fulfilled any of these pre-specified criteria (Group A), direct referral for a transthoracic echocardiogram was mandatory. Conscripts with ECG findings other than pre-specified criteria (e.g. T-wave inversions, repolarization abnormalities) were referred for secondary screening by cardiologists (Group B), which could include echocardiography. Out of 18 476 subjects screened during the study period, 988 (5.3%) subjects were fast tracked for echocardiogram (Group A). Of them, there were three (0.3%) cases with severe abnormalities; there was one case each of HCM, bicuspid aortic valve with significant aortic valve regurgitation, and atrial septal defect with right ventricular systolic dysfunction. The patient with HCM had left axis deviation on ECG. None of the 215 patients who underwent echocardiography following cardiology consult (Group B) had HCM. The prevalence of HCM in our young male population (mean age 19.5, range 16-27) using an ECG-based screening protocol was 0.005%; this appeared lower than published data from other geographical cohorts. Possible explanations include a later age of phenotypic manifestation in our population, limitations of the ECG criteria for screening, or a truly lower prevalence of HCM. More population-based longitudinal studies would be needed to ascertain the true prevalence of HCM in our South-East Asian population.

  7. Review of the epidemiology of cervical cancer in the Pacific Basin.

    PubMed

    Lee, H P; Cuello, C; Singh, K

    1982-01-01

    Cervical cancer, despite its declining incidence in the developed countries, is still an important cancer in the less-developed world. The mortality and incidence trends for some of the countries in the Pacific Basin are presented. Among the high-risk communities and populations are Colombia (Cali), New Zealand (Maoris), El Paso, Texas (Latin Americans), California (blacks), Hawaii (Hawaiians), Singapore (Chinese and Indians), Hong Kong, Philippines (Manila), New Caledonia (Melanesians), Alaska (American Indians), Fiji. The major risk factors are summarized, with age at first coitus as the key factor; some doubts are expressed about the validity of multiple sexual partners and circumcision of male partners as risk factors. The likely role of herpesvirus is still being studied, and the possible increase in incidence of cervical cancer among younger women could be attributed to greater sexual promiscuity in that group. Some suggestions for future research are made.

  8. Gender differences in economic support and well-being of older Asians.

    PubMed

    Ofstedal, Mary Beth; Reidy, Erin; Knodel, John

    2004-09-01

    This report provides a comprehensive analysis of gender differences in economic support and well-being in eight countries in Southern and Eastern Asia (Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, and Taiwan). We examine multiple economic indicators, including sources of income, receipt of financial and material support, income levels, ownership of assets, and subjective well-being. Results show substantial variation in gender differences across indicators and provide an important qualification to widely held views concerning the globally disadvantaged position of older women. Whereas men tend to report higher levels of income than women, there is generally little gender difference in housing characteristics, asset ownership, or reports of subjective economic well-being. Unmarried women are economically advantaged compared to unmarried men in some respects, in part because they are more likely to be embedded in multigenerational households and receive both direct and indirect forms of support from family members.

  9. Nipah virus: transmission of a zoonotic paramyxovirus.

    PubMed

    Clayton, Bronwyn Anne

    2017-02-01

    Nipah virus is a recently-recognised, zoonotic paramyxovirus that causes severe disease and high fatality rates in people. Outbreaks have occurred in Malaysia, Singapore, India and Bangladesh, and a putative Nipah virus was also recently associated with human disease in the Philippines. Worryingly, human-to-human transmission is common in Bangladesh, where outbreaks occur with near-annual frequency. Onward human transmission of Nipah virus in Bangladesh is associated with close contact with clinically-unwell patients or their infectious secretions. While Nipah virus isolates associated with outbreaks of human infection have not resulted in sustained transmission to date, specific exposures carry a high risk of person-to-person transmission, an observation which is supported by recent findings in animal models. Novel paramyxoviruses continue to emerge from wildlife hosts, and represent an ongoing threat to human health globally. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. A revision of the species of Evaza Walker described by J.C.H. de Meijere (Diptera, Stratiomyidae, Pachygastrinae).

    PubMed

    Rozkošný, Rudolf; Vaňhara, Jaromír

    2017-02-09

    Six Oriental species of Evaza Walker, 1856 were described by J.C.H. de Meijere in the period between 1911 and 1924. The type specimens are now deposited in the Museum Naturalis (Leiden). All species were redescribed, photographed and their diagnostic characters were defined. Male terminalia of five species with known males were illustrated in detail. The revised species were compared with recently described new species from Oriental China. Additional material belonging to the revised species was recorded for the first time from the following countries: Evaza demeijerei Brunetti, 1923 (= E. pallipes de Meijere, 1916a) and E. discolor de Meijere, 1916a were found in Malaysia, E. javanensis de Meijere 1911 in Singapore, E. kerteszi de Meijere, 1914 in Laos and Malaysia and E. maculifera de Meijere, 1914 in Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

  11. Compilation of seismic structural models of the Kyushu-Palau Ridge, paleo-island arc in the Philippine Sea plate, at 13-30 N

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nishizawa, A.; Kaneda, K.; Oikawa, M.

    2012-12-01

    The Kyushu-Palau Ridge (KPR) is a 2600 km long bathymetric high extending north-south at the center of the Philippine Sea plate. The origin of the KPR is regarded as a remnant of the proto Izu-Ogasawara (Bonin)-Mariana (IBM) Island arc that was separated by backarc spreading of the Shikoku and Parece Vela Basins in the late Eocene. The extensive seismic explorations were implemented to grasp the spatial distribution of the arc crust of the KPR in 2004-2008 under the Japanese Continental Shelf Survey Project. We carried out 27 seismic reflection and refraction profiles across the ridge between 13 and 30 N and one along the ridge in the northernmost part. We deployed ocean bottom seismographs (OBSs) as a receiver at an average interval of 5 km along each line. A tuned airgun array with a volume of 8,040 cubic inches (132 liters) or a non-tuned airgun array with a volume of 6,000 cubic inches (98 liters) was shot at an interval of 200 m (90 sec) for the wide-angle seismic profiles. Multichannel reflection data using 480 ch. or 240 ch. hydrophone streamer were also collected on the coincident lines. We obtained P-wave velocity models using tomographic inversion, forward modeling with two-dimensional ray tracing and comparison with synthetic seismograms. The maximum crustal thickness for each profile across the KPR varies from 8 to 23 km among the seismic lines. The KPR crusts are roughly thicker in the north than those in the south and are always thicker than the neighboring backarc basin oceanic crusts of the West Philippine Basin to the west and of the Shikoku and Parece Vela Basins to the east. The thick crust is mainly attributed to the lower crust with P-wave velocity of 6.8-7.2 km/s. Pn velocities just beneath the KPR are less than 8 km/s, often accompanying with rather high Vp of 7.2 km/s at the base of the crust. Reflection signals observed in far offsets along several lines suggest some reflectors exist at the depths 23-40 km beneath the KPR. The crustal structure of the eastern transition from the KPR to the backarc basins of the Shikoku or Parece Vela Basins is characterized by a thinner curst and slightly higher Pn velocity compared with those of a typical oceanic basin, which may relate to the rifting, breakup and early separation of the proto-island arc. On the other hand, the crustal models of the western edge of the KPR show large variations among the seismic lines. This is because the tectonic settings of the western side are different from north to south along the KPR, such as the Daito Ridges as paleo-island arcs and intra-arc basins in the north, and the West Philippine Basin as a backarc basin and the CBF Rift as the spreading center of the West Philippine Basin in the south.

  12. Translations on North Korea, Number 605, Kulloja Number 4, April 1978

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1978-07-26

    the change in the material conditions of social life, is characterized by the tardiness in making itself known. The mental state of man is not...Japan proper, Okinawa, the Philippines , and the main units of the south Korean puppet armed forces, all told more than 100,000 strong, and threw in

  13. Effect of Ocean Interannual Variability on Acoustic Propagation in the Philippine Sea and South China Sea

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-06-01

    Coronas , 1920). The dominant pattern of interannual variability is the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which has two quasi-periodic states...Validation of Wavewatch-III using TOPEX/ Poseidon data. J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., 21, 1718–1733. Coronas , J., 1920: The climate and weather of the

  14. An Assessment of Project Teacher Exchange for ASEAN Teachers (TEACH) Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Agustin, Ma. Lourdes S.; Montebon, Darryl Roy T.

    2018-01-01

    Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) integration aims to unite the South East Asian countries to promote better opportunities for the member countries in different areas such as economics and education. As a response, Philippine Normal University spearheaded the formation of the Association of Southeast Asian Teacher Education Network to…

  15. Preliminary Country Reports on Feasibility Survey: Policy Research and Education Institutions for Developing Countries.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mitchell, James M.; Luikart, F. W.

    The feasibility of creating independent research and education centers that deal with public policy issues in developing countries is assessed. Countries that were surveyed include Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, South Korea, Philippines, Pakistan, and Nepal. For each country, a report describes the social and political climate…

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

    DOE Data Explorer

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

    1994-01-01

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

  17. Overview of Asian Biomass Burning and Dust Aerosols Measured during the Dongsha Experiment in the Spring of 2010

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, N.; Tsay, S.; Wang, S.; Sheu, G.; Chi, K.; Lee, C.; Wang, J.

    2010-12-01

    The international campaign of Dongsha Experiment was conducted in the northern SE Asian region during March-May 2010. It is a pre-study of the Seven South East Asian Studies (7SEAS) which seeks to perform interdisciplinary research in the field of aerosol-meteorology and climate interaction in the Southeast Asian region, particularly for the impact of biomass burning on cloud, atmospheric radiation, hydrological cycle, and regional climate. Participating countries include Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, and USA (NASA, NRL, and NOAA). The main goals of Dongsha Experiment are (1) to develop the Dongsha Island (about 2 km2, 20°42'52" N, 116°43'51" E) in the South China Sea as an atmospheric observing platform of atmospheric chemistry, radiation and meteorological parameters, and (2) to characterize the chemical and physical properties of biomass burning aerosols in the northern SE Asian region. A monitoring network for ground-based measurements includes the Lulin Atmospheric Background Station (2,862 m MSL) in central Taiwan, Hen-Chun (coastal) in the very southern tip of Taiwan, Dongsha Island in South China Sea, Da Nang (near coastal region) in central Vietnam, and Chiang Mai (about 1,400 m, MSL) in northern Thailand. Besides, the Mobile Air Quality Station of Taiwan EPA and NASA/COMMIT were shipped to Dongsha Island for continuous measurements of CO, SO2, NOx, O3, and PM10, and aerosol optical and vertical profiles. Two Intensive Observation Periods (IOPs) for aerosol chemistry were conducted during 14-30 March and 10-20 April 2010, respectively. Ten aerosol samplers were deployed for each station for characterizing the compositions of PM2.5/PM10 (some for TSP) including water-soluble ions, metal elements, BC/OC, Hg and dioxins. Sampling tubes of VOCs were also deployed. Concurrent measurements with IOP-1, Taiwanese R/V also made a mission to South China Sea during 14-19 March. Enhanced sounding at Dongsha Island was launched four times per day during the IOPs. This experiment provides a relatively complete dataset of aerosol chemistry and physical observations conducted in the source/sink region for below marine boundary layer and lower free troposphere of biomass burning/air pollutants in the northern SE Asia. This presentation will give an overview of this experiment and its preliminary results, including a severe and unusual Asian dust event that was observed in Dognsha Island.

  18. Aircraft measurements of trace gases between Japan and Singapore in October of 1993, 1996, and 1997

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matsueda, Hidekazu; Inoue, Hisayuki Y.

    Carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and carbon monoxide (CO) mixing ratios were measured in discrete air samples from aircraft between Japan and Singapore in October. The mixing ratios of all trace gases at 9-12 km were enhanced over the South China Sea in 1997 compared with those in 1993 and 1996. Vertical distributions of all trace gases over Singapore in 1997 also showed largely elevated mixing ratios at all altitudes. These distributions indicate a wide outflow of trace gases from intense biomass burning in the southeast Asia regions in the very strong El Niño year. The enhanced trace gases showed a strong linear correlation between CH4 and CO, and between CO and CO2, with the regression slopes of 0.051 (ΔCH4 ppb/ΔCOppb) and 0.089 (ΔCOppb/ΔCO2ppb). The emission ratios are characteristic of fires with relatively lower combustion efficiency from the tropical rain forest and peat lands in Kalimantan and Sumatra of Indonesia.

  19. Cutaneous sarcoidosis in Asians: a report of 25 patients from Singapore.

    PubMed

    Chong, W-S; Tan, H-H; Tan, S-H

    2005-03-01

    Sarcoidosis is a systemic noncaseating granulomatous disorder of unknown origin involving multiple organ systems. There has been no report so far to describe the epidemiological pattern of cutaneous involvement in sarcoidosis in South-East Asia with diverse ethnic groups. A retrospective study examining the clinicopathological features of all patients diagnosed with sarcoidosis at a tertiary dermatology centre in Singapore from 1980 to 2003 was conducted. Cutaneous sarcoidosis was diagnosed in 25 patients: 13 were Indian, 11 were Chinese and one was Eurasian. Cutaneous manifestations included papules, nodules, plaques and scarring alopecia. Extracutaneous involvement of lymph nodes (four patients), lungs (eight patients) and eyes (two patients) was seen. Eight patients had abnormal chest radiographic findings. Histopathological examination of skin lesions revealed noncaseating, epithelioid granulomatous infiltration in the dermis without evidence of mycobacterial infection, deep fungal infection or polarizable birefringent material. Treatment modalities included corticosteroids, hydroxychloroquine, isotretinoin, methotrexate and surgical excision. Five patients had complete resolution of the cutaneous lesions. Cutaneous sarcoidosis is rare in Asia and indeed in Singapore. Extracutaneous involvement is not uncommon and a thorough clinical evaluation should be undertaken.

  20. Two-dimensional Numerical Models of Accretionary Wedges Deformation in Response to Subduction and Obduction: Evidence from the Middle Part of the Manila Trench

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ma, L.; Ding, W.; Chen, L.; Gerya, T.

    2016-12-01

    The Manila Trench is located at the eastern boundary of the South China Sea (SCS). It was created by the subduction of the South China Sea Plate beneath the Philippine Sea Plate since the early Neogene, and also influenced by the northwestern movement of the Philippine Sea Plate. There is wide discussion whether the dual-subduction and widespread seamounts in the South China Sea would have play important roles in the 'S-shaped' geometry and the different diving angle along the Manila Trench. Multi-beam tectono-geomorphological studies on the accretionary wedges have suggested that: (1) the stress direction of the subduction along the middle part of the Manila Trench, between 17o and 18 o N, is NW55 o; (2) The Manila Trench is actually caused by obduction due to the northwestern movement of the Philippine Sea Plate. Although the NW 55 o stress direction has been supported by detailed analysis on the trend of the folds, thrust faults, extension fractures and large sea-floor canyon, its obduction-origin is purely based on regional structure. Here we use 2D numerical modeling experiments to investigate the deformation style of accretionary wedge in response to the seamounts subduction and obduction, and provide new insights into the mechanism responsible for the Luzon obduction along the Manila Trench. Our preliminary results show that: (1) the accretionary wedge is eroded faster in subduction model; (2) the velocity field direction of the slab differs in two models at the beginning of seamount subduction, which is vertical in obduction model, but oblique in subduction model; (3) both sides of the accretionary wedge deform strongly in subduction model, whereas in obduction model only the leading edge shows intensive deformation. Further modelling will focus on other parts of the Manila Trench with different slab age and subduction velocity to see their tectonic influences on the accretionary wedges.

  1. A model for the motion of the Philippine Sea plate consistent with NUVEL-1 and geological data

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Seno, Tetsuzo; Stein, Seth; Gripp, Alice E.

    1993-01-01

    We investigate angular velocity vectors of the Philippine Sea (PH) plate relative to the adjacent major plates, Eurasia (EU) and Pacific (PA), and the smaller Caroline (CR) plate. Earthquake slip vector data along the Philippine Sea plate are inverted, subject to the constraint that EU-PA motion equals that predicted by the global relative plate model NUVEL-1. The resulting solution fails to satisfy geological constraints along the Caroline-Pacific boundary: convergence along the Mussau Trench and divergence along the Sorol Trough. We then seek solutions satisfying both the CR-PA boundary conditions and the Philippine Sea slip vector data, by adjusting the PA-PH and EU-PH best fitting poles within their error ellipses. We also consider northern Honshu to be part of the North American plate and impose the constraint that the Philippine Sea plate subducts beneath northern Honshu along the Sagmi Trough in a NNW-NW direction. Of the solutions satisfying these conditions, we select the best EU-PH as 48.2 deg N, 157.0 deg E, 1.09 deg/my, corresponding to a pole far from Japan and south of Kamchatka, and PA-PH, 1.2 deg N, 134.2 deg E, 1.00 deg/my. Predicted NA-PH and EU-PH convergence rates in central Honshu are consistent with estimated seismic slip rates. Previous estimates of the EU-PH pole close to central Honshu are inconsistent with extension within the Bonin backarc implied by earthquake slip vectors and NNW-NW convergence of the Bonin forearc at the Sagami Trough.

  2. Assessing Motivational Styles of Students in the South-East Asian Context of Singapore

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koh, Caroline; Galloway, David

    2006-01-01

    High levels of academic achievement in Asian educational systems have generated interest in the study of motivational patterns of students in these contexts. The objectives of this paper are firstly, to provide a review of existing literature on the study of motivational styles amongst students and secondly, to identify the occurrence of different…

  3. Multilingual Language Policy and School Linguistic Practice: Globalization and English-Language Teaching in India, Singapore and South Africa

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hornberger, Nancy; Vaish, Viniti

    2009-01-01

    This paper explores tensions in translating multilingual language policy to classroom linguistic practice, and especially the paradoxical role of and demand for English as a tool of decolonization for multilingual populations seeking equitable access to a globalizing economy. We take an ecological and sociolinguistic approach, depicting tensions…

  4. Global Learning Partnerships in "the Café": Peer Feedback as a Formative Assessment Tool for Animation Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCarthy, Josh

    2016-01-01

    This paper reports on a global learning partnership using "the Café: the collaborative application for education" as an e-learning environment within the Facebook framework, for first-year animation students at the University of South Australia (USA) in Australia and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. "The Café" has…

  5. [Care and Rehabilitation of Children with Disabilities around the World.] 1992 IEEIR Fellowship Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Butler, Charlene

    This monograph presents four reports on the care of children with disabilities, resulting from a study/travel project in Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, Seychelles, India, Nepal, Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia. The first report focuses on the medical, educational, and social care of children with disabilities. It first summarizes…

  6. The Quest for Innovation and Entrepreneurship: The Changing Role of University in East Asia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mok, Ka Ho

    2012-01-01

    This article critically reviews the national innovation systems of the four little tigers in East Asia, namely Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea, in fostering R&D and technological research. A national innovation system is characterised by the interactions between the state, industries and universities in promoting innovation. This…

  7. The Potential of Book Floods for Raising Literary Levels.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elley, Warwick B.

    2000-01-01

    Summarizes the findings of Book Flood studies in Niue, Fiji, Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Solomon Islands, and several other developing countries. It is possible to double the rate of reading acquisition of Third World primary school pupils with a Book Flood of about 100 high-interest books per class and short teacher training sessions.…

  8. Teacher Education around the World: What Can We Learn from International Practice?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Darling-Hammond, Linda

    2017-01-01

    This article describes teacher education in jurisdictions around the world that have well-developed systems for teacher development. It examines teacher education policies and practices in Australia (with a focus on Victoria and New South Wales), Canada (with a focus on Alberta and Ontario), Finland and Singapore within the context of recruitment,…

  9. Application of Technology Transfer Process Model for Thailand.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1980-03-01

    Vietnam, on the south it is bounded by Malaysia and on the west by Burma. (Figure 1 shows the position of Thailand with respect to other countries of... Malaysia . The Central Valley may be physiographically divided into two distinct sub-provinces, namely, the Northern Rolling Plain and the Chao Phya...IKofg STHAILAND R fay of Mnl Re’cgal \\~SOUTH VIET NAM PHILIPPINES S ou t -7,’d CEYLON ~.. e ~Kuamj Lumpur N.* MALAYSIA ~" " SINGAPOA’ - 1%. 0 N E S I ’A c

  10. Effect of Wave Boundary Layer on Sea-to-Air Dimethylsulfide Transfer Velocity During Typhoon Passage

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-09-01

    straits are shallow except Luzon Strait whose maximum depth is 1800 m. The elliptical shaped central deep basin is 1900 km along its major axis...the east, Borneo to the southeast, and Indonesia to the south, a total area of 3.5·106 km2. Its southern border is 3° S between South Sumatra and...averaging 100 m deep on the continental Sunda shelf and over 5000 m in the Philippine basin ; and its unusual monsoon weather patterns of reversing

  11. India: Asia-Pacific energy series country report

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

    Gazdar, M.N.

    As part of our continuing assessment of Asia-Pacific energy markets, the Resources Programs of the East-West Center series of country studies that discuss in detail the structure of the energy sector. To date, our reports to the US Department of Energy, Assistant Secretary for International Affairs and Energy Emergencies, have covered Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. The country studies provide an overview of the economic and political situation in the various countries. We have highlighted petroleum and gas issues in the country studies and have attempted to showmore » the foreign trade implications of oil and gas trade. To the greatest extent possible, we have provided the latest available statistics. Staff members have traveled extensively in-and at times have lived in-the countries under review and have held discussions with senior policymakers in government and industry. Thus, these reports provide not only information but also the latest thinking on energy issues in the various countries. Over the next few years these country studies can be updated and will provide a continuous, long-term source of energy sector analysis for the Asia-Pacific region. This India Asia-Pacific Energy Series Country Report is the follow-on to a study by Victor Lobo, Energy in India: The Oil Sector, which was published by the East-West Center in December 1989. The study focused on the petroleum industry, particularly refining, infrastructure, marketing and distribution, specifications of products, demand structure and pricing. This current study, must be seen as a supplement to our 1989 study and, as such, does not cover the petroleum sector in depth.« less

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

    PubMed Central

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

    2018-01-01

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

  13. Recent trends and patterns in breast cancer incidence among Eastern and Southeastern Asian women.

    PubMed

    Shin, Hai-Rim; Joubert, Clementine; Boniol, Mathieu; Hery, Clarisse; Ahn, Sei Hyun; Won, Young-Joo; Nishino, Yoshikazu; Sobue, Tomotaka; Chen, Chien-Jen; You, San-Lin; Mirasol-Lumague, Maria Rica; Law, Stephen Chun-Key; Mang, Oscar; Xiang, Yong-Bing; Chia, Kee-Seng; Rattanamongkolgul, Suthee; Chen, Jian-Guo; Curado, Maria Paula; Autier, Philippe

    2010-11-01

    Incidence of breast cancer is rising in Asian countries, and breast cancer is the most common cancer among Asian women. However, there are few recent descriptive reports on the epidemiology of breast cancer among Eastern and Southeastern Asian populations. We examined incidence trends for invasive breast cancer in women aged ≥20 years from 15 registries in Eastern (China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan) and Southeastern Asia (the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand) for the period 1993-2002 mainly using data from Cancer Incidence in Five Continents, Volumes VIII and IX. We compared trends in annual incidence rates and age-specific incidence curves over a 10-year period. We also compared the incidence rates of Asian-Americans with the rates of their Asian counterparts. Breast cancer incidence rates increased gradually over time in all study populations. Rates were relatively high in Southeastern Asia and became progressively lower along a south-to-north gradient, with a fourfold geographic variation within the study populations. Age-specific incidence curves showed patterns that gradually changed according to incidence rates. Breast cancer incidence among Asian women living in the United States was 1.5-4 times higher than the corresponding incidence rate in the women's respective countries of origin. Breast cancer incidence is expected to continue to increase for the next 10 years in Asia and may approach rates reported among Asian-Americans. The number and mean age of breast cancer cases is expected to increase as the female Asian population ages, the prevalence of certain risk factors changes (early menarche, late menopause, low parity, late age at first live birth, and low prevalence of breastfeeding), and as Asian countries introduce mass screening programs.

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

    PubMed

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

    2018-01-01

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

  15. Penicillin-Resistant trend of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Asia: A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Mamishi, Setareh; Moradkhani, Sepideh; Mahmoudi, Shima; Hosseinpour-Sadeghi, Reihaneh; Pourakbari, Babak

    2014-08-01

    The high prevalence of resistance to penicillin by Streptococcus pneumoniaeis considered as a great concern, particularly in Asian countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the changing trend of penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae (PRSP) in Asia over a 20 years period. A review of the literature was conducted using the PubMed database, Google Scholar, Scopus, two Persian scientific search engines "Scientific Information Database" (www.sid.ir), and "Mag Iran" (www.magiran.com) through 1993 to 2013. Our study provides a unique chance to investigate the changing trend in PSSP in Asia over a 20 years period. Susceptibility rates among different centers in each country varied widely. In Malaysia, the PSSP rate decreased from 97.2% in 1995-1996 to 69% in 2000. In Singapore, PSSP levels decreased from 72.6% in 1997 to 30.5% in 2007-2008. In Iran, PSSP ranged from 0% to 100%. In Taiwan, the rate of PSSP was 60.3% in 1995 and <50% in other years. In Lebanon, the rate of PSSP was less than 50% (ranging from 30.1% to 50%) in all published data. In Hong Kong, the level of penicillin susceptibility decreased from 71.1% during 1993-1995 to less 42% in 2007. Continuous surveillance of resistance data from clinical isolates as well as implementation of strict infection control policies is recommended. More studies are needed for better evaluation PSSP rate in some Asian countries such as Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines, Pakistan, Nepal, Kuwait, Korea and Indonesia.

  16. Recommended dietary allowances harmonization in Southeast Asia.

    PubMed

    Barba, Corazon Vc; Cabrera, Ma Isabel Z

    2008-01-01

    Issues and opportunities for RDA harmonization within the SEA region were first raised during the First Regional Forum and Workshop "RDAs: Scientific Basis and Future Directions", held in Singapore in March 1997. A regional review on RDAs in SEA showed general similarities for the different RDAs, although in some cases a country listed an exceptionally high or low RDA for a particular nutrient for a specific group. It also revealed differences in physiologic groupings and reference body weights, nutrients included and units of expression. Realizing these differences in RDA components between countries which makes technical composition different, a consensus on the need for regional collaboration and harmonization of RDAs was reached by participants from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. A follow-up workshop was organized to work towards agreement throughout the region on common approaches, concepts and terminologies; application and uses, format and a research agenda. Round table discussions were held to arrive at specific recommendations for achieving harmonization. While divergence in opinions were expected, some clear-cut agreements were settled. Globalization envisions to achieve economic growth and development, with the effects expected to ripple through health, nutrition and welfare improvements. The harmonization of RDAs in SEA seeks to reach this vision by strengthening R and D capabilities (both logistic and manpower) within the region and within the countries in the region, as well as harmonizing the efforts of governments and industry within the region to reduce potential trade barriers such as those relating to food and nutrition quality assurance standards.

  17. A primary health care curriculum in action: the lived experience of primary health care nurses in a school of nursing in the Philippines: a phenomenological study.

    PubMed

    Arthur, David; Drury, John; Sy-Sinda, Maria Teresita; Nakao, Ramonita; Lopez, Arsenia; Gloria, Grace; Turtal, Rowena; Luna, Evelyn

    2006-01-01

    Primary health care (PHC) nursing is widely practiced in the Philippines yet little is published about the nurses working in this field nor by these nurses. This paper describes a PHC nursing curriculum conducted in an island in the south of the Philippines and examines the experience of nurses working as faculty and simultaneously providing service to the local community. Data were collected from a convenience sample of faculty by interview and analysed using Huserrlian (descriptive) phenomenology and Colaizzi's method of data analysis. From 102 formulated meanings emerged four theme clusters: teaching PHC; external influences; the working reality and practicing PHC, and these are presented with exemplars from the interviews. The data gives a clear impression of the experience of implementing PHC and working with small communities and highlights the educational and clinical issues inherent in this unique model. The insights gained from the analysis of the interviews are contrasted with current literature and recommendations for future research are made.

  18. Chronology of volcanic events in the eastern Philippine Sea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meijer, Arend; Reagan, Mark; Ellis, Howard; Shafiqullah, Muhammad; Sutter, John; Damon, Paul; Kling, Stanley

    Radiometric and paleontologic ages of samples from chiefly volcanic sections exposed on Guam, Saipan, and in the Palau Islands were determined to provide an improved temporal framework for tectonic and petrologic models for the evolution of the eastern Philippine Sea. The oldest arc related volcanic rocks found in this area are from the Facpi formation on Guam dated at 43.8±1.6 m.y. B.P. (late middle Eocene). Evidence for late Eocene, early Oligocene, and middle Miocene arc volcanism was also found in the Mariana fore arc. The Palau Islands contain volcanic units of late Eocene(?), early Oligocene and early Miocene age. A minimum age of 1.3±0.2 m.y. has been established for the Mariana active arc. Overall, the new data are consistent with Karig's (1971) model for the tectonic evolution of the eastern Philippine Sea. Whether or not arc volcanism and interarc basin spreading can take place at the same time has not been resolved, although no evidence of synchroneity has been found for at least the Parece Vela Basin—South Honshu Ridge arc system.

  19. Clearing a Hurried Path: Study on Education Programs for Migrant Workers in Six Asian Countries.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Villalba, Noel C.

    Against the backdrop of the Asian economic crisis, this study examined the range of education programs for migrant workers in six Asian countries. Surveys were returned from 145 migrant worker support organizations in three host countries--Hong Kong, South Korea, and Japan--and three sending countries--the Philippines, Indonesia, and India. The…

  20. Governance Issues in South East Asian Higher Education: Finance, Devolution and Transparency in the Global Era

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Welch, Anthony

    2007-01-01

    Using Castells' four principal functions of universities, this article examines several key dilemmas relating to governance of higher education in SE Asia, (specifically Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam). While all five nations value universities highly, and aspire to widen access to higher education, none can provide public…

  1. Building a risk-targeted regional seismic hazard model for South-East Asia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Woessner, J.; Nyst, M.; Seyhan, E.

    2015-12-01

    The last decade has tragically shown the social and economic vulnerability of countries in South-East Asia to earthquake hazard and risk. While many disaster mitigation programs and initiatives to improve societal earthquake resilience are under way with the focus on saving lives and livelihoods, the risk management sector is challenged to develop appropriate models to cope with the economic consequences and impact on the insurance business. We present the source model and ground motions model components suitable for a South-East Asia earthquake risk model covering Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Indochine countries. The source model builds upon refined modelling approaches to characterize 1) seismic activity from geologic and geodetic data on crustal faults and 2) along the interface of subduction zones and within the slabs and 3) earthquakes not occurring on mapped fault structures. We elaborate on building a self-consistent rate model for the hazardous crustal fault systems (e.g. Sumatra fault zone, Philippine fault zone) as well as the subduction zones, showcase some characteristics and sensitivities due to existing uncertainties in the rate and hazard space using a well selected suite of ground motion prediction equations. Finally, we analyze the source model by quantifying the contribution by source type (e.g., subduction zone, crustal fault) to typical risk metrics (e.g.,return period losses, average annual loss) and reviewing their relative impact on various lines of businesses.

  2. Increasing Dengue Incidence in Singapore over the Past 40 Years: Population Growth, Climate and Mobility

    PubMed Central

    Struchiner, Claudio Jose; Rocklöv, Joacim; Wilder-Smith, Annelies; Massad, Eduardo

    2015-01-01

    In Singapore, the frequency and magnitude of dengue epidemics have increased significantly over the past 40 years. It is important to understand the main drivers for the rapid increase in dengue incidence. We studied the relative contributions of putative drivers for the rise of dengue in Singapore: population growth, climate parameters and international air passenger arrivals from dengue endemic countries, for the time period of 1974 until 2011. We used multivariable Poisson regression models with the following predictors: Annual Population Size; Aedes Premises Index; Mean Annual Temperature; Minimum and Maximum Temperature Recorded in each year; Annual Precipitation and Annual Number of Air Passengers arriving from dengue-endemic South-East Asia to Singapore. The relative risk (RR) of the increase in dengue incidence due to population growth over the study period was 42.7, while the climate variables (mean and minimum temperature) together explained an RR of 7.1 (RR defined as risk at the end of the time period relative to the beginning and goodness of fit associated with the model leading to these estimates assessed by pseudo-R2 equal to 0.83). Estimating the extent of the contribution of these individual factors on the increasing dengue incidence, we found that population growth contributed to 86% while the residual 14% was explained by increase in temperature. We found no correlation with incoming air passenger arrivals into Singapore from dengue endemic countries. Our findings have significant implications for predicting future trends of the dengue epidemics given the rapid urbanization with population growth in many dengue endemic countries. It is time for policy-makers and the scientific community alike to pay more attention to the negative impact of urbanization and urban climate on diseases such as dengue. PMID:26322517

  3. Increasing Dengue Incidence in Singapore over the Past 40 Years: Population Growth, Climate and Mobility.

    PubMed

    Struchiner, Claudio Jose; Rocklöv, Joacim; Wilder-Smith, Annelies; Massad, Eduardo

    2015-01-01

    In Singapore, the frequency and magnitude of dengue epidemics have increased significantly over the past 40 years. It is important to understand the main drivers for the rapid increase in dengue incidence. We studied the relative contributions of putative drivers for the rise of dengue in Singapore: population growth, climate parameters and international air passenger arrivals from dengue endemic countries, for the time period of 1974 until 2011. We used multivariable Poisson regression models with the following predictors: Annual Population Size; Aedes Premises Index; Mean Annual Temperature; Minimum and Maximum Temperature Recorded in each year; Annual Precipitation and Annual Number of Air Passengers arriving from dengue-endemic South-East Asia to Singapore. The relative risk (RR) of the increase in dengue incidence due to population growth over the study period was 42.7, while the climate variables (mean and minimum temperature) together explained an RR of 7.1 (RR defined as risk at the end of the time period relative to the beginning and goodness of fit associated with the model leading to these estimates assessed by pseudo-R2 equal to 0.83). Estimating the extent of the contribution of these individual factors on the increasing dengue incidence, we found that population growth contributed to 86% while the residual 14% was explained by increase in temperature. We found no correlation with incoming air passenger arrivals into Singapore from dengue endemic countries. Our findings have significant implications for predicting future trends of the dengue epidemics given the rapid urbanization with population growth in many dengue endemic countries. It is time for policy-makers and the scientific community alike to pay more attention to the negative impact of urbanization and urban climate on diseases such as dengue.

  4. The P wavespeed structure in the mantle to 800 km depth below the Philippines region: geodynamic implications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wright, C.

    2009-03-01

    P waves from earthquakes south of Taiwan, recorded by the BATS seismic array and CWB seismic network, were used define the P wavespeed structure between depths of 100 and 800 km below the Philippines region. The presence of a low wavespeed zone in the upper mantle is inferred, although the details are unclear. Wavespeeds in the uppermost mantle are low, as expected for seismic energy propagating within an oceanic plate. The estimated depths of the 410- and 660-km discontinuities are 325 and 676 km respectively. The unusually shallow depth of the upper discontinuity below and to the east of Luzon is inferred by clearly resolving the travel-time branch produced by refraction through the transition zone. A possible explanation for the northern part of the region covered is that seismic energy reaches its maximum depth within or close to the cool, subducted oceanic South China Sea slab where subduction has been slow and relatively recent. Further south, however, the presence of a broken remnant of the South China Sea slab, formed during a period of shallower subduction, is suggested at depths below 300 km to explain the broad extent of the elevated 410-km discontinuity. The 660-km discontinuity is slightly deeper than usual, implying that low temperatures persist to lower mantle depths. The wavespeed gradients within the transition zone between depths of 450 and 610 km are higher than those predicted by both the pyrolite and piclogite models of the mantle, possibly due to the presence of water in the transition zone.

  5. Application of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to Reduce Multicollinearity Exchange Rate Currency of Some Countries in Asia Period 2004-2014

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rahayu, Sri; Sugiarto, Teguh; Madu, Ludiro; Holiawati; Subagyo, Ahmad

    2017-01-01

    This study aims to apply the model principal component analysis to reduce multicollinearity on variable currency exchange rate in eight countries in Asia against US Dollar including the Yen (Japan), Won (South Korea), Dollar (Hong Kong), Yuan (China), Bath (Thailand), Rupiah (Indonesia), Ringgit (Malaysia), Dollar (Singapore). It looks at yield…

  6. Report of Secretary of Defense, Caspar W. Weinberger, to the Congress on the FY 1983 Budget, FY 1984 Authorization Request and FY 1983-1987 Defense Programs.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1982-02-08

    although non-aligned, Malaysia , Indonesia, and Singapore support U.S. presence in South- east Asia and allow unhampered U.S. transit of the vital...modernization of obsolete facilities, maintenance of existing facilities, energy conservation, compliance with environmental and OSHA stan- dards, and NATO

  7. Predicting Achievement: Confidence vs Self-Efficacy, Anxiety, and Self-Concept in Confucian and European Countries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morony, Suzanne; Kleitman, Sabina; Lee, Yim Ping; Stankov, Lazar

    2013-01-01

    This study investigates the structure and cross-cultural (in)variance of mathematical self-beliefs in relation to mathematics achievement in two world regions: Confucian Asia (Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan) and Europe (Denmark, The Netherlands, Finland, Serbia and Latvia). This is done both pan-culturally and at a multigroup-level,…

  8. Forming the Academic Profession in East Asia: A Comparative Analysis. East Asia: History, Politics, Sociology, Culture. A Routledge Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Terri

    This book is a comparative examination of the formation of the academic profession in Korea and Malaya, and later, South Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore, from colonial times. The analysis takes into account the connections and disconnections between the colonial and postcolonial periods in shaping the academic profession. The chapters are: (1)…

  9. Globalisation, Internationalisation and English Language: Studies of Education in Singapore, Malaysia and Australia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Neill, Marnie; Chapman, Anne

    2015-01-01

    The impetus for this special issue arose from our interest in the ways in which the processes of globalisation and internationalisation influence the organisation and delivery of education in the South East Asian region. A key feature of these processes at all levels of education is the global trend towards English in schooling, teaching and…

  10. Major differences in rates of occupational accidents between different nationalities of seafarers.

    PubMed

    Hansen, Henrik L; Laursen, Lise Hedgaard; Frydberg, Morten; Kristensen, Soeren

    2008-01-01

    Earlier studies and statistics have shown that merchant seafarers from the South East Asia had considerable lower accident rates when compared with seafarers from Western Europe. The purposes of the study were to investigate whether the earlier observations were sustained if further sources on occurrence of accidents were used and to identify specific causes of excess accident rates among certain nationalities. Occupational accidents aboard Danish merchant ships during one year were identified from four different sources. These included accidents reported to the maritime authorities, accidents reported to a mutual insurance company, files on medical costs reimbursed by the government and finally, accidents in which there has been contact to the radio medical service. Time at risk aboard was obtained from a register on all employment periods aboard merchant ships. A total of 943 accidents causing personal injury to a seafarer directly caused by work aboard were identified. Among these accidents, 499 had taken place aboard cargo ships in international trade. Only these were used in the detailed analysis. The accident rate for all identified accidents aboard cargo ships were 84 accidents per 1,000 years aboard. The crude incidence rate ratio (IRR) for East European seafarers was 0.88 and for South East Asians 0.38 using West European seafarers as reference. In a Poisson regression analysis, the IRR for South East Asians was 0.29 (0.22-0.38). In an analysis including only more serious accidents, IRR for South East Asians rose to 0.36 (0.26-0.48). This study indicates that seafarers from South East Asia, mainly the Philippines, may have a genuine lower risk of occupational accidents in comparison with seafarers from Western and Eastern Europe. Differences in approach to safety and risk taking between South East Asian and European seafarers should be identified and positives attitudes included in accident preventing programmes. Main messages Seafarers from South East Asia, mainly the Philippines, seem to have a genuine lower risk of occupational accidents in comparison with seafarers from Western and Eastern Europe. Differences in approach to safety and risk taking between South East Asian and European seafarers should be identified and positives attitudes included in accident preventing programmes.

  11. Spectral Discrimination of Fine and Coarse Mode Aerosol Optical Depth from AERONET Direct Sun Data of Singapore and South-East Asia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Salinas Cortijo, S.; Chew, B.; Liew, S.

    2009-12-01

    Aerosol optical depth combined with the Angstrom exponent and its derivative, are often used as a qualitative indicator of aerosol particle size, with Angstrom exp. values greater than 2 indicating small (fine mode) particles associated with urban pollution and bio-mass burning. Around this region, forest fires are a regular occurrence during the dry season, specially near the large land masses of Sumatra and Borneo. The practice of clearing land by burning the primary and sometimes secondary forest, results in a smog-like haze covering large areas of regional cities such as cities Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and sometimes the south of Thailand, often reducing visibility and increasing health problems for the local population. In Singapore, the sources of aerosols are mostly from fossil fuel burning (energy stations, incinerators, urban transport etc.) and from the industrial and urban areas. The proximity to the sea adds a possible oceanic source. However, as stated above and depending on the time of the year, there can be a strong bio-mass component coming from forest fires from various regions of the neighboring countries. Bio-mass related aerosol particles are typically characterized by showing a large optical depth and small, sub-micron particle size distributions. In this work, we analyze three years of direct Sun measurements performed with a multi-channel Cimel Sun-Photometer (part of the AERONET network) located at our site. In order to identify bio-mass burning events in this region, we perform a spectral discrimination between coarse and fine mode optical depth; subsequently, the fine mode parameters such as optical depth, optical ratio and fine mode Angstrom exponents (and its derivative) are used to identify possible bio-mass related events within the data set.

  12. The Composition of Organic Aerosols in Southeast Asia During The 2006 Haze Episode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jun, H.; Zielinska, B.; Balasubramanian, R.

    2007-12-01

    The regional smoke haze in Southeast Asia is a recurring air pollution problem. Uncontrolled forest fires from land-clearing activities in Sumatra and Borneo, and to a lesser extent Malaysia, have occurred almost every dry season since the late 1990s. The smoke haze that took place in October 2006 shrouded an estimated 215,000 square miles of land on Indonesia's islands of Sumatra and Borneo, and persisted for several weeks. Satellite pictures showed numerous hotspots in both Sumatra and Kalimantan. The prevailing, South-Southwesterly, winds blew smoke from land and forest fires in central and south Sumatra to Singapore, affecting the regional air quality significantly and reducing atmospheric visibility. During this haze episode, we carried out an intensive field study in Singapore to characterize the composition of organic aerosols, which usually account for a large fraction of airborne particulate matter (PM). A total of 17 PM samples were collected while the hazy atmospheric conditions persisted in Singapore, and subjected to accelerated solvent extraction with dichloromethane and acetone. The extracted compounds were grouped into three major fractions (n-alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and polar organic compounds). More than 180 particulate-bound organic compounds were determined using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In order to investigate the origin of organic species, the carbon preference indexes as well as diagnostic ratios were used. The compositional differences of organic aerosols between the haze- and non- haze periods will be presented. The atmospheric implications of the composition of organic aerosols of biomass burning origin will be discussed. Keywords: smoke haze, organic aerosols, n-alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polar organic compounds

  13. The Global Financial Crisis: Foreign and Trade Policy Effects

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-04-07

    Chinese financial interests Additional pressures on European unity and policy discord between the United States and Germany /France Economic and...questioning of the Western economic model of deregulated , market-based decisionmaking Risk of rising trade protectionism and intensified anti...South Korea Philippines India Italy Canada Sudan Brazil China Israel United Kingdom France Taiwan Indonesia Germany Hungary Nigeria Latv ia Mexico

  14. The Philippine Insurrection: The U.S. Navy in a Military Operation Other Than War, 1899-1902

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2004-12-01

    and Leyte were opened for trade. By February 15, 1900, Kobbé occupied southeastern Luzon, from Tabaco in the north to Donsol in the south, along with...On January 11, 1901, the Secretary of War gave his “constrained approval” for the closure of ports, but in the case of the ports of Tabaco and

  15. The Lumad and Moro of Mindanao. Minority Rights Group International Report 93/2.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rodil, B. R.

    This document analyzes the two main indigenous groups in the south of the Philippines. It outlines the history of the Lumad and Moro communities of Mindanao. The document discusses the effects of development and business interests in the region, and their campaigns around land issues. The Lumad and Moro accept the need to develop new sources of…

  16. Early Childhood Care and Education and Other Family Policies and Programs in South-East Asia. Early Childhood and Family Policy Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kamerman, Sheila B.

    This report describes early childhood care and education (ECCE) and other family support policies and programs in seven southeast Asian countries: Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. The report draws primarily on background country reports prepared by officials in these countries to focus on the context in…

  17. Epidemiology of internet behaviors and addiction among adolescents in six Asian countries.

    PubMed

    Mak, Kwok-Kei; Lai, Ching-Man; Watanabe, Hiroko; Kim, Dong-Il; Bahar, Norharlina; Ramos, Milen; Young, Kimberly S; Ho, Roger C M; Aum, Na-Rae; Cheng, Cecilia

    2014-11-01

    Internet addiction has become a serious behavioral health problem in Asia. However, there are no up-to-date country comparisons. The Asian Adolescent Risk Behavior Survey (AARBS) screens and compares the prevalence of Internet behaviors and addiction in adolescents in six Asian countries. A total of 5,366 adolescents aged 12-18 years were recruited from six Asian countries: China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Participants completed a structured questionnaire on their Internet use in the 2012-2013 school year. Internet addiction was assessed using the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and the Revised Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS-R). The variations in Internet behaviors and addiction across countries were examined. The overall prevalence of smartphone ownership is 62%, ranging from 41% in China to 84% in South Korea. Moreover, participation in online gaming ranges from 11% in China to 39% in Japan. Hong Kong has the highest number of adolescents reporting daily or above Internet use (68%). Internet addiction is highest in the Philippines, according to both the IAT (5%) and the CIAS-R (21%). Internet addictive behavior is common among adolescents in Asian countries. Problematic Internet use is prevalent and characterized by risky cyberbehaviors.

  18. Multiethnic involvement in autosomal-dominant optic atrophy in Singapore.

    PubMed

    Loo, J L; Singhal, S; Rukmini, A V; Tow, S; Amati-Bonneau, P; Procaccio, V; Bonneau, D; Gooley, J J; Reynier, P; Ferré, M; Milea, D

    2017-03-01

    PurposeAutosomal-dominant optic atrophy (ADOA), often associated with mutations in the OPA1 gene (chromosome 3q28-q29) is rarely reported in Asia. Our aim was to identify and describe this condition in an Asian population in Singapore.Patients and methodsPreliminary cross-sectional study at the Singapore National Eye Centre, including patients with clinical suspicion of ADOA, who subsequently underwent genetic testing by direct sequencing of the OPA1 gene.ResultsAmong 12 patients (10 families) with clinically suspected ADOA, 7 patients (5 families) from 3 different ethnic origins (Chinese, Indian, and Malay) carried a heterozygous pathogenic variant in the OPA1 gene. The OPA1 mutations were located on exons 8, 9, 11, and 17: c.869G>A (p.Arg290Glu), c.892A>G (p.Ser298Gly), c.1140G>A (splicing mutation), and c.1669C>T (p.Arg557*), respectively. One splicing mutation (c.871-1G>A) was identified in intron 8. We also identified a novel mutation causing optic atrophy and deafness (c.892A>G (p.Ser298Gly)). Among the phenotypic features, colour pupillometry disclosed a dissociation between low vision and preserved pupillary light reflex in ADOA.ConclusionWe report the first cases of genetically confirmed OPA1-related ADOA from Singapore, including a novel mutation causing 'ADOA plus' syndrome. Further epidemiological studies are needed in order to determine the prevalence of ADOA in South-East Asia.

  19. Multiethnic involvement in autosomal-dominant optic atrophy in Singapore

    PubMed Central

    Loo, J L; Singhal, S; Rukmini, A V; Tow, S; Amati-Bonneau, P; Procaccio, V; Bonneau, D; Gooley, J J; Reynier, P; Ferré, M; Milea, D

    2017-01-01

    Purpose Autosomal-dominant optic atrophy (ADOA), often associated with mutations in the OPA1 gene (chromosome 3q28-q29) is rarely reported in Asia. Our aim was to identify and describe this condition in an Asian population in Singapore. Patients and methods Preliminary cross-sectional study at the Singapore National Eye Centre, including patients with clinical suspicion of ADOA, who subsequently underwent genetic testing by direct sequencing of the OPA1 gene. Results Among 12 patients (10 families) with clinically suspected ADOA, 7 patients (5 families) from 3 different ethnic origins (Chinese, Indian, and Malay) carried a heterozygous pathogenic variant in the OPA1 gene. The OPA1 mutations were located on exons 8, 9, 11, and 17: c.869G>A (p.Arg290Glu), c.892A>G (p.Ser298Gly), c.1140G>A (splicing mutation), and c.1669C>T (p.Arg557*), respectively. One splicing mutation (c.871-1G>A) was identified in intron 8. We also identified a novel mutation causing optic atrophy and deafness (c.892A>G (p.Ser298Gly)). Among the phenotypic features, colour pupillometry disclosed a dissociation between low vision and preserved pupillary light reflex in ADOA. Conclusion We report the first cases of genetically confirmed OPA1-related ADOA from Singapore, including a novel mutation causing ‘ADOA plus' syndrome. Further epidemiological studies are needed in order to determine the prevalence of ADOA in South-East Asia. PMID:27858935

  20. The Anisotropic Structure of South China Sea: Using OBS Data to Constrain Mantle Flow

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, L.; Xue, M.; Yang, T.; Liu, C.; Hua, Q.; Xia, S.; Huang, H.; Le, B. M.; Huo, D.; Pan, M.

    2015-12-01

    The dynamic mechanism of the formation of South China Sea (SCS) has been debated for decades. The anisotropic structure can provide useful insight into the complex evolution of SCS by indicating its mantle flow direction and strength. In this study, we employ shear wave splitting methods on two half-year seismic data collected from 10 and 6 passive source Ocean Bottom Seismometers (OBS) respectively. These OBSs were deployed along both sides of the extinct ridge in the central basin of SCS by Tongji University in 2012 and 2013 respectively, which were then successfully recovered in 2013 and 2015 respectively. Through processing and inspecting the global and regional earthquakes (with local events being processing) of the 2012 dataset, measurements are made for 2 global events and 24 regional events at 5 OBSs using the tangential energy minimization, the smallest eigenvalue minimization, as well as the correlation methods. We also implement cluster analysis on the splitting results obtained for different time windows as well as filtered at different frequency bands. For teleseismic core phases like SKS and PKS, we find the fast polarization direction beneath the central basin is approximately NE-SW, nearly parallel to the extinct ridge in the central basin of SCS. Whereas for regional events, the splitting analysis on S, PS and ScS phases shows much more complicated fast directions as the ray path varies for different phases. The fast directions observed can be divided into three groups: (1) for the events from the Eurasia plate, a gradual rotation of the fast polarization direction from NNE-SSW to NEE-SWW along the path from the inner Eurasia plate to the central SCS is observed, implying the mantle flow is controlled by the India-Eurasia collision; (2) for the events located at the junction of Pacific plate and Philippine plate, the dominant fast direction is NW-SE, almost perpendicular to Ryukyu Trench as well as sub-parallel to the absolute direction of Philippine plate; (3) for the events occurred in the SE direction near the Philippine Fault zone, the observed NE-SW fast direction is sub-parallel to the subduction direction of the Philippine plate.

  1. Wind waves generated by Typhoon Vamei in the southern South China Sea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mohammed, Aboobacker; Tkalich, Pavel; Krishnakumar, Vinod Kumar; Ponnumony, Vethamony

    2013-04-01

    Typhoon-generated waves are of interest scientifically for understanding wind-wave interaction physics, as well as operationally for predicting potential hazards. The Typhoon Vamei formed in the southern South China Sea (SCS) was one of the rare typhoon events that occurred near the equator. The typhoon developed on 26 Dec 2001 at 1.4°N in the southern SCS, strengthened quickly, made a landfall along the southeast coast of Malaysia and dissipated over Sumatra on 28 Dec 2001. With the wind speeds were as high as 36 m/s in the southern SCS, this event has significantly affected the atmospheric and oceanic conditions over the region. In the present study, we aim at understanding the wind wave characteristics induced by Vamei along the Sunda Shelf and the southeast coast of Malaysia. Wind velocity vectors over the southern SCS have been simulated for 22-30 Dec 2001 using Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. These winds have been forced in a third generation wave model to compute the wind waves in the affected domain. Simulated significant wave heights reach as high as 7.5m off the southeast coast of Malaysia and 5.8m in the Singapore Strait (SS). Wave propagation from the SCS to the SS is highly noticeable during the typhoon event. Directional distribution and propagation of the Vamei generated waves towards the southeast coast of Malaysia and part of Singapore region have been discussed. Keywords: South China Sea; wind waves; typhoon; numerical modelling; significant wave height.

  2. Insights, attitudes and perceptions about asthma and its treatment: findings from a multinational survey of patients from 8 Asia-Pacific countries and Hong Kong.

    PubMed

    Thompson, Philip J; Salvi, Sundeep; Lin, Jiangtao; Cho, Young Joo; Eng, Philip; Abdul Manap, Roslina; Boonsawat, Watchara; Hsu, Jeng-Yuan; Faruqi, Rab A; Moreno-Cantu, Jorge J; Fish, James E; Ho, James Chung-Man

    2013-08-01

    The Asthma Insight and Management (AIM) survey was conducted in North America, Europe, the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America to characterize patients' insights, attitudes and perceptions about their asthma and its treatment. We report findings from the Asia-Pacific survey. Asthma patients (≥12 years) from Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand were surveyed. Patients answered 53 questions exploring general health, diagnosis/history, symptoms, exacerbations, patient burden, disease management, medications/treatments and patient's attitudes. The Global Initiative for Asthma guidelines were used to assess asthma control. The survey was conducted by random digit telephone dialling (Australia, China and Hong Kong) or by random face-to-face interviews (India, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand). There were 80 761 households screened. Data from 3630 patients were collected. Wide disparity existed between objective measures of control and patient perception. Reported exacerbations during the previous year ranged from 19% (Hong Kong) to 67% (India). Reported unscheduled urgent/emergency visits to a doctor's office/hospital/clinic in the previous year ranged from 15% (Hong Kong) to 46% (Taiwan). Patients who reported having controlled asthma in the previous month ranged from 27% (South Korea) to 84% (Taiwan). Substantial functional and emotional limitations due to asthma were identified by 13% (South Korea) to 78% (India) of patients. Asthma has a profound impact on patients' well-being despite the availability of effective treatments and evidence-based management guidelines. Substantial differences across the surveyed countries exist, suggesting unmet, country-specific cultural and educational needs. A large proportion of asthma patients overestimate their level of control. © 2013 The Authors. Respirology © 2013 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

  3. Height-for-age z scores increase despite increasing height deficits among children in 5 developing countries.

    PubMed

    Lundeen, Elizabeth A; Stein, Aryeh D; Adair, Linda S; Behrman, Jere R; Bhargava, Santosh K; Dearden, Kirk A; Gigante, Denise; Norris, Shane A; Richter, Linda M; Fall, Caroline H D; Martorell, Reynaldo; Sachdev, Harshpal Singh; Victora, Cesar G

    2014-09-01

    Growth failure remains a persistent challenge in many countries, and understanding child growth patterns is critical to the development of appropriate interventions and their evaluation. The interpretation of changes in mean height-for-age z scores (HAZs) over time to define catch-up growth has been a subject of debate. Most studies of child growth have been cross-sectional or have focused on children through age 5 y. The aim was to characterize patterns of linear growth among individuals followed from birth into adulthood. We compared HAZs and difference in height (cm) from the WHO reference median at birth, 12 mo, 24 mo, mid-childhood, and adulthood for 5287 individuals from birth cohorts in Brazil, Guatemala, India, the Philippines, and South Africa. Mean HAZs were <0 at birth in the 3 cohorts with data and ranged from -0.6 (Brazil) to -2.9 (Guatemala) at age 24 mo. Between 24 mo and mid-childhood, HAZ values increased by 0.3-0.5 in South Africa, Guatemala, and the Philippines and were unchanged in Brazil and India. Between mid-childhood and adulthood, mean HAZs increased in all cohorts but remained <0 in adulthood [mean range: -0.3 (Brazil) to -1.8 (Guatemala and Philippines)]. However, from 24 mo to adulthood, height differences from the reference median became greater. From age 2 y to adulthood, mean HAZs increased, even though height deficits relative to the reference median also increased. These 2 metrics may result in different interpretations of the potential for and the impact of catch-up growth in height. © 2014 American Society for Nutrition.

  4. Height-for-age z scores increase despite increasing height deficits among children in 5 developing countries123

    PubMed Central

    Lundeen, Elizabeth A; Stein, Aryeh D; Adair, Linda S; Behrman, Jere R; Bhargava, Santosh K; Dearden, Kirk A; Gigante, Denise; Norris, Shane A; Richter, Linda M; Fall, Caroline HD; Martorell, Reynaldo; Sachdev, Harshpal Singh; Victora, Cesar G

    2014-01-01

    Background: Growth failure remains a persistent challenge in many countries, and understanding child growth patterns is critical to the development of appropriate interventions and their evaluation. The interpretation of changes in mean height-for-age z scores (HAZs) over time to define catch-up growth has been a subject of debate. Most studies of child growth have been cross-sectional or have focused on children through age 5 y. Objective: The aim was to characterize patterns of linear growth among individuals followed from birth into adulthood. Design: We compared HAZs and difference in height (cm) from the WHO reference median at birth, 12 mo, 24 mo, mid-childhood, and adulthood for 5287 individuals from birth cohorts in Brazil, Guatemala, India, the Philippines, and South Africa. Results: Mean HAZs were <0 at birth in the 3 cohorts with data and ranged from −0.6 (Brazil) to −2.9 (Guatemala) at age 24 mo. Between 24 mo and mid-childhood, HAZ values increased by 0.3–0.5 in South Africa, Guatemala, and the Philippines and were unchanged in Brazil and India. Between mid-childhood and adulthood, mean HAZs increased in all cohorts but remained <0 in adulthood [mean range: −0.3 (Brazil) to −1.8 (Guatemala and Philippines)]. However, from 24 mo to adulthood, height differences from the reference median became greater. Conclusions: From age 2 y to adulthood, mean HAZs increased, even though height deficits relative to the reference median also increased. These 2 metrics may result in different interpretations of the potential for and the impact of catch-up growth in height. PMID:25008854

  5. New Imaginings and Actions of Drama Education and Applied Theatre in NIE4 in Asia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Wan-Jung; Po-Chi, Tam; Kim, Byoung Joo; Kok, Heng Leun

    2013-01-01

    Since the end of the 1980s in the NIE4--Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore--in Asia, progressive cultural and educational policies have developed along with tremendous economic growth, and a belief in the value of cultivating excellent human resources has provided the fertile ground to plant the seeds for Drama Education and Applied…

  6. 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…

  7. A Comparison of Mother-Tongue Curricula of Successful Countries in PISA and Turkey by Higher-Order Thinking Processes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cer, Erkan

    2018-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of the current study is to reveal general qualities of the objectives in the mother-tongue curricula of Hong Kong and Shanghai-China, South Korea, Singapore, and Turkey in terms of higher-order thinking processes specified by PISA tests. Research Methods: In this study, the researcher used a qualitative research design.…

  8. Ancient jades map 3,000 years of prehistoric exchange in Southeast Asia

    PubMed Central

    Hung, Hsiao-Chun; Iizuka, Yoshiyuki; Bellwood, Peter; Nguyen, Kim Dung; Bellina, Bérénice; Silapanth, Praon; Dizon, Eusebio; Santiago, Rey; Datan, Ipoi; Manton, Jonathan H.

    2007-01-01

    We have used electron probe microanalysis to examine Southeast Asian nephrite (jade) artifacts, many archeologically excavated, dating from 3000 B.C. through the first millennium A.D. The research has revealed the existence of one of the most extensive sea-based trade networks of a single geological material in the prehistoric world. Green nephrite from a source in eastern Taiwan was used to make two very specific forms of ear pendant that were distributed, between 500 B.C. and 500 A.D., through the Philippines, East Malaysia, southern Vietnam, and peninsular Thailand, forming a 3,000-km-diameter halo around the southern and eastern coastlines of the South China Sea. Other Taiwan nephrite artifacts, especially beads and bracelets, were distributed earlier during Neolithic times throughout Taiwan and from Taiwan into the Philippines. PMID:18048347

  9. Ancient jades map 3,000 years of prehistoric exchange in Southeast Asia.

    PubMed

    Hung, Hsiao-Chun; Iizuka, Yoshiyuki; Bellwood, Peter; Nguyen, Kim Dung; Bellina, Bérénice; Silapanth, Praon; Dizon, Eusebio; Santiago, Rey; Datan, Ipoi; Manton, Jonathan H

    2007-12-11

    We have used electron probe microanalysis to examine Southeast Asian nephrite (jade) artifacts, many archeologically excavated, dating from 3000 B.C. through the first millennium A.D. The research has revealed the existence of one of the most extensive sea-based trade networks of a single geological material in the prehistoric world. Green nephrite from a source in eastern Taiwan was used to make two very specific forms of ear pendant that were distributed, between 500 B.C. and 500 A.D., through the Philippines, East Malaysia, southern Vietnam, and peninsular Thailand, forming a 3,000-km-diameter halo around the southern and eastern coastlines of the South China Sea. Other Taiwan nephrite artifacts, especially beads and bracelets, were distributed earlier during Neolithic times throughout Taiwan and from Taiwan into the Philippines.

  10. Development and implementation of Models of Care for musculoskeletal conditions in middle-income and low-income Asian countries.

    PubMed

    Lim, Keith K; Chan, Madelynn; Navarra, Sandra; Haq, Syed Atiqul; Lau, Chak Sing

    2016-06-01

    This chapter discusses the challenges faced in the development and implementation of musculoskeletal (MSK) Models of Care (MoCs) in middle-income and low-income countries in Asia and outlines the components of an effective MoC for MSK conditions. Case studies of four such countries (The Philippines, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Myanmar) are presented, and their unique implementation issues are discussed. The success experienced in one high-income country (Singapore) is also described as a comparison. The Community Oriented Program for Control of Rheumatic Diseases (COPCORD) project and the role of Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology (APLAR), a professional body supporting MoC initiatives in this region, are also discussed. The experience and lessons learned from these case studies can provide useful information to guide the implementation of future MSK MoC initiatives in other middle-income and low-income countries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. History and current activities of the International Diabetes Federation-Western Pacific Region (IDF-WPR).

    PubMed

    Baba, S

    1994-10-01

    International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is one of the biggest non-governmental organizations with its 44-year history since 1950. In 1993, 114 diabetes associations in 96 countries participated in the IDF. In 1982, it was decided to divide the globe into seven regions and to promote the diagnosis, treatment, care and education of diabetes based on the environment, natural features, culture and race of the each region. On January 24, 1984, the IDF-WPR establishment meeting was held in Melbourne, Australia, with eight original member countries (Australia, New Zealand, Korea, The Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Fiji and Japan). In 1993, 13 diabetes associations in 12 countries joined the IDF-WPR. New member associations are from China (Beijing and Taipei), Hong Kong, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. The IDF-WPR has been holding congresses and council meetings every 3 or 4 years since 1984 as well as formulating strategic action plans in the scientific, clinical, health care and education fields of diabetes.

  12. The genetic composition of populations of cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) used in biomedical research.

    PubMed

    Kanthaswamy, S; Ng, J; Satkoski Trask, J; George, D A; Kou, A J; Hoffman, L N; Doherty, T B; Houghton, P; Smith, D G

    2013-06-01

    The genetic composition of cynomolgus macaques used in biomedical research is not as well-characterized as that of rhesus macaques. Populations of cynomolgus macaques from Sumatra, Corregidor, Mauritius, Singapore, Cambodia, and Zamboanga were analyzed using 24 STRs. The Sumatran and Cambodian populations exhibited the highest allelic diversity, while the Mauritian population exhibited the lowest. Sumatran cynomolgus macaques were the most genetically similar to all others, consistent with an Indonesian origin of the species. The high diversity among Cambodian animals may result from interbreeding with rhesus macaques. The Philippine and Mauritian samples were the most divergent from other populations, the former due to separation from the Sunda Shelf by deepwater and the latter due to anthropogenic translocation and extreme founder effects. Investigators should verify their research subjects' origin, ancestry, and pedigree to minimize risks to biomedical experimentation from genetic variance stemming from close kinship and mixed ancestry as these can obscure treatment effects. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Comprehensive spectrum of BRCA1 and BRCA2 deleterious mutations in breast cancer in Asian countries

    PubMed Central

    Kwong, Ava; Shin, Vivian Y; Ho, John C W; Kang, Eunyoung; Nakamura, Seigo; Teo, Soo-Hwang; Lee, Ann S G; Sng, Jen-Hwei; Ginsburg, Ophira M; Kurian, Allison W; Weitzel, Jeffrey N; Siu, Man-Ting; Law, Fian B F; Chan, Tsun-Leung; Narod, Steven A; Ford, James M; Ma, Edmond S K; Kim, Sung-Won

    2015-01-01

    Approximately 5%–10% of breast cancers are due to genetic predisposition caused by germline mutations; the most commonly tested genes are BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. Some mutations are unique to one family and others are recurrent; the spectrum of BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations varies depending on the geographical origins, populations or ethnic groups. In this review, we compiled data from 11 participating Asian countries (Bangladesh, Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam), and from ethnic Asians residing in Canada and the USA. We have additionally conducted a literature review to include other Asian countries mainly in Central and Western Asia. We present the current pathogenic mutation spectrum of BRCA1/BRCA2 genes in patients with breast cancer in various Asian populations. Understanding BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations in Asians will help provide better risk assessment and clinical management of breast cancer. PMID:26187060

  14. Balance of Risk in the South China Sea

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-06-01

    administrative control.156 In February 2009, the Philippine legislature passed an archipelagic baseline law that legally defined their domestic claims to...hard power, military doctrine , strategy, and tactics that are aligned with framing a favorable reference point of the territory inside of the nine...reinterpretation of Chinese foreign policy, and changes to military doctrine . The variations are evident in lower echelons of the state by changes to

  15. 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 female migration is observed. There is also much evidence that rural-urban migration of men as well as women is positively linked to schooling.

  16. Constraints on Subduction Zone Coupling along the Philippine and Manila Trenches based on GPS and Seismological Data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hamburger, M. W.; Johnson, K. M.; Nowicki, M. A. E.; Bacolcol, T. C.; Solidum, R., Jr.; Galgana, G.; Hsu, Y. J.; Yu, S. B.; Rau, R. J.; McCaffrey, R.

    2014-12-01

    We present results of two techniques to estimate the degree of coupling along the two major subduction zone boundaries that bound the Philippine Mobile Belt, the Philippine Trench and the Manila Trench. Convergence along these plate margins accommodates about 100 mm/yr of oblique plate motion between the Philippine Sea and Sundaland plates. The coupling estimates are based on a recently acquired set of geodetic data from a dense nationwide network of continuous and campaign GPS sites in the Philippines. First, we use a kinematic, elastic block model (tdefnode; McCaffrey, 2009) that combines existing fault geometries, GPS velocities and focal mechanism solutions to solve for block rotations, fault coupling, and intra-block deformation. Secondly, we use a plate-block kinematic model described in Johnson (2013) to simultaneously estimate long-term fault slip rates, block motions and interseismic coupling on block-bounding faults. The best-fit model represents the Philippine Mobile Belt by 14 independently moving rigid tectonic blocks, separated by active faults and subduction zones. The model predicts rapid convergence along the Manila Trench, decreasing progressively southwards, from > 100 mm/yr in the north to less than 20 mm/yr in the south at the Mindoro Island collision zone. Persistent areas of high coupling, interpreted to be asperities, are observed along the Manila Trench slab interface, in central Luzon (16-18°N) and near its southern and northern terminations. Along the Philippine Trench, we observe ~50 mm/yr of oblique convergence, with high coupling observed at its central and southern segments. We identify the range of allowable coupling distributions and corresponding moment accumulation rates on the two subduction zones by conducting a suite of inversions in which the total moment accumulation rate on a selected fault is fixed. In these constrained moment inversions we test the range of possible solutions that meet criteria for minimum, best-fit, and maximum coupling that still fit the data, based on reduced chi-squared calculations. In spite of the variable coupling, the total potential moment accumulation rate along each of the two subduction zones is estimated to range from 3.98 x 1019 to 2.24 x 1020 N-m yr-1, equivalent to a magnitude Mw 8.4 to 8.9 earthquake per 100 years.

  17. Spectral analysis of magnetic anomalies in and around the Philippine Sea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tanaka, A.; Ishihara, T.

    2009-12-01

    Regional compilations of lithospheric structure from various methods and data and comparison among them are useful to understand lithospheric structure and the processes behind its formation and evolution. We present constraints on the regional variations of the magnetic thicknesses in and around the Philippine Sea. We used a new global magnetic anomaly data [Quesnel et al, 2009], which is CM4-corrected [Comprehensive Model 4; Sabaka et al., 2004], cleaned and leveled to clarify the three-dimensional crustal magnetic structure of the Philippine Sea. The Philippine Sea is one of the largest marginal seas of the world. The north-south-trending Kyushu-Palau Ridge divides it into two parts: the West Philippine Basin and the Daito Ridge province in the west and the Shikoku and Parece Vela Basins in the east. The age of the basins increases westward [Karig, 1971]. And, there are three ridges in the Daito Ridge province west of the Kyushu-Palau Ridge; the Oki-Daito, Daito Ridges and the Amami Plateau from south to north, and small basins among them. Two-dimensional spectral analysis of marine magnetic anomalies is used to estimate the centroid of magnetic sources (Zo) to constrain the lithospheric structure [Tanaka and Ishihara, 2008]. The method is based on that of Spector and Grant [1970]. Zo distribution of the Philippine Sea shows occurrence of shallow magnetic layer areas with approximately less than 10 km in the Shikoku Basin. It also shows variations in deep and shallow magnetic layer areas in the Amami-Daito Province. These patters correspond to spatial variations of the crustal thickness deduced from the three-dimensional gravity modeling [Ishihara and Koda, 2007] and acoustic basement structures [Higuchi et al., 2007]. These three spatial distributions are roughly consistent with each other, although they may contain some scatters and bias due to the different characteristics and errors. This two-dimensional spectral analysis method is based upon an assumption that source distribution is random; therefore when magnetic anomalies represent linear features, this analysis based on ensembles of thin prisms may produce unreliable results. In this case, one-dimensional spectrum analysis based on a thin plate model composed of long bars is preferable. Makino and Okubo [1988] developed one-dimensional spectral analysis for marine linear magnetic anomalies. A linear relationship between the natural log of (power-density spectrum of magnetic profile) and wavelength gives the centroid depth of magnetic sources. The same method is applied to this area. This analysis requires a long profile to see deeper structure. It may not be possible to find good enough data. However, both methods give consistent results, and the obtained Zo distribution provides a comprehensive view of regional-scale features. The correlation between crustal thickness and Zo and its correspondence with tectonic regime indicates that Zo is useful to delineate regional crustal thermal structure. It is expected that Zo combined with multidisciplinary data should help to infer geophysical and geological information in the less explored regions.

  18. Securing Nuclear Materials: The 2012 Summit and Issues for Congress

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-03-07

    Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Switzerland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey , United Arab Emirates, the ...of the nuclear terrorism threat runs highest. In addition, the Russian Federation said it would be helping the United States prepare the groundwork...Minister Netanyahu. Press reports quote an Israeli official as saying that the Prime Minister decided not to attend due to concerns that Egypt or Turkey

  19. Hizballah Rising: Iran’s Proxy Warriors

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-01-01

    operations in Argentina , Greece, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Thailand and has established cells in Europe, Africa, South America...Hizballah is estimated to have paid out as much as $180 million in cash directly to community members who were made homeless from Israeli attacks in...Trouble in our own Backyard Hizballah’s attacks against Israeli targets in Argentina in the 1990s demonstrate the organization’s capability to

  20. Education and Training for Development in East Asia: The Political Economy of Skill Formation in East Asian Newly Industrialised Economies. ESRC Pacific Asia Programme [Series].

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ashton, David; Green, Francis; James, Donna; Sung, Johnny

    This book provides a detailed analysis of the development of education and training systems in Asia and the relationship with the process of economic growth. Focus is on four impoverished agrarian economies--Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan--that were transformed in little more than a generation into East Asian "tigers":…

  1. Nuclear Politics in Iran

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-05-01

    Ali Khamenei, June 4, 2007 —Did you hear that the Iranian government has just designated the date as the national fruit ? —Why the date? —Because it...the Security Council. Twelve countries abstained, including Russia, South Africa, and China. India, Peru, Ecuador , Ghana, and Singapore all voted...eligible voting population of 48 million, upward of 80 per cent. This election showed the democratic will of Iranians has matured beyond any point

  2. JPRS Report, Soviet Union, foreign Military Review, No. 12, December 1986

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-08-04

    the originally suggested makeup of which was to include the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand , South Korea, and the ASEAN countries. In...of the U.S., Argentina, Australia, Indonesia, Israel, Kuwait, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore. According to American specialists’ evaluations...was produced from 1968-1978 by the English firm, British Aerospace. It comprises the air force inventories of Ecuador, Kenya, New Zealand , Oman, Saudi

  3. Modelling Operational Command Structures Using ORGAHEAD

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-07-01

    1999 he was awarded a PhD from the University of South Australia. Dr. Sproles works part-time with DSTO Edinburgh under contract between the...Australia. Manchester, W, 1978, American Caesar. Douglas MacArthur 1880-1964, Dell Publishing Co., New York, NY, USA. Manuel, K.T., and...Egypt Jordon Canada Italy HQ INTERFET HQ 3 Bde (Australia) Singapore Malaysia Fiji UK NZThailand Philipinnes S Korea Kenya Brazil Eire FranceNorway

  4. Comparative Perspectives on Futures in Education. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Australian Comparative and International Education Society (10th, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, November 24-26, 1982).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liesch, James R., Ed.

    The titles and authors of the 12 conference papers presented in this document are: (1) "China's Immediate Future: Renewed Cultural Borrowing" (R.F. Price); (2) "The Feminization of the Teaching Profession in Singapore" (Christine Inglis); (3) "Towards Equity and Efficiency in the Education System of Mauritius" (Helen…

  5. Decomposing the crude divorce rate in five countries: Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, the UK, and Australia

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Mengni

    2018-01-01

    ABSTRACT Over the past few decades, the level of divorce, measured by the crude divorce rate (CDR), has increased dramatically in both the East and the West, but has recently appeared to fall or level off in some countries. To investigate whether the recent decline or stabilisation of the CDRs reflects the real trends in divorce risk, a decomposition analysis was conducted on the changes in the CDRs over the past 20 years on two western and three East Asian countries, namely, the UK, Australia, Taiwan, South Korea, and Singapore. The following is observed: the decline in the CDRs of the UK and Australia in the 1990s, and of Taiwan and Korea in the 2000s, was mainly due to shrinkage in the proportion of the married population rather than any reduction in divorce risk; only Australia experienced a genuine reduction in divorce risk between 2001 and 2011; and the continuous increase of Singapore’s divorce level between 1990 and 2010 may be is an unintentional effect of the government’s marriage promotion policies. The shift in the population age structure, and more importantly, the drastic decline in marriage, has seriously distorted the CDRs, making them unreliable indicators for monitoring divorce trends. PMID:29930691

  6. Occupational rehabilitation in Singapore and Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Chan, Kay-Fei; Tan, Charlie W C; Yeo, Doreen S C; Tan, Heidi S K; Tan, F L; Tan, E W; Szeto, Grace P Y; Cheng, Andy S K

    2011-03-01

    Asia is the new and favored magnet of economic attention and foreign investments after it made an almost uneventful rebound from the depths of financial crisis of 2008/2009. Not many Western observers fully understand the diversity that is Asia other than perhaps its 2 growing economic giants of China and India. Indeed many smaller countries like Singapore and Malaysia in South East Asia along with Australia and Hong Kong (a Special Administrative Region within China) look to symbiotic relationships with these two economic giants. The purpose of this discussion paper is to examine the current issues related to the development and provision of occupational rehabilitation services in Singapore and Malaysia with a forward-looking view of how Asia's different developing societies could potentially benefit from better alignment of occupational rehabilitation practices and sharing of expertise through international collaboration and dialogue platforms. Seven therapists and one physician who are frequently involved in occupational rehabilitation services in their home countries critically reviewed the current issues in Singapore and Malaysia which included analysis of the prevalence and cost of occupational injury; overview of workers' compensation system; current practices, obstacles, and challenges in providing occupational rehabilitation and return to work practices. They also offered opinions about how to improve the occupational rehabilitation programs of their two home countries. Even though Malaysia and Singapore are two different countries, in many ways their current provision of occupational rehabilitation services and the problems they face with are very similar. There is a lot of room for systemic improvements that require government support and action. Most prominently, the training of more healthcare professionals in the assessment and rehabilitation of the injured worker should be encouraged. There could be better liaison between the many stakeholders and more funding made available to develop resources and to jump start strategic programs. As these two countries are witnessing rapid economic growth, more resources should be allocated to establish holistic care of the injured workers emphasizing early interventions and prevention of chronic disabilities.

  7. Reevaluating the Context of U.S. Strategy In the South China Sea

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-04-30

    including the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia , Indonesia, and Thailand; and provides three overarching objectives: (1) provide countries with improved...Supplement to the Memorandum of Understanding On the Rules and Behavior for Safety of Air and Maritime Encounters Between the Department of Defense of...Rules of Behavior for Safety of Air and Maritime Encounters, December 2014. As stated by the Office of International Military Cooperation (OIMC

  8. 2001 Annual Tropical Cyclone Report

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2001-12-01

    northwest passing over the central Philippine Islands then into the South China Sea before dissipating off western Luzon on 22 February. (3) Reuters...hours prior to making landfall in Southern Taiwan. (2) Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau (CWB) indicated that rainfall rates in the Pingtung County...1) Attained peak intensity of 100 kts at approximately 1800Z 29 July after making landfall. (2) The Taipei Central News Agency reported 72 fatalities

  9. Contributions to the Mosquito Fauna of Southeast Asia. V. Genus Aedes, Subgenus Diceromyia Theobald in Southeast Asia

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1970-01-01

    saland), NIGERIA, PORTUGUESE GUINEA , RHODESIA ( Southern Rhodesia), SENEGAL, SOUTH AFRICA, SUDAN, TANZANIA (Tanganyika), UGANDA, UPPER VOLTA, ZAMBIA...dae) from southern India. J. med. Ent. SCANLON, J. E. and S. ESAH. 1965. Distribution in altitude of mosquitoes in northern Thailand. Mosquito News... Northern Rhodesia) and from the Oriental Region: BURMA, CEYLON, INDIA(mainland and Nicobar Islands), INDONESIA, WEST MALAYSIA, PHILIPPINES

  10. ESCAP migration study gathers momentum.

    PubMed

    1980-01-01

    A comparative study is being conducted in the ESCAP (Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific) region on the relationships of migration and urbanization to development. The 1st stage of the study will entail the preparation of country reports on the census analysis of migration, urbanization and development. The 2nd stage will involve preparation of a series of national migration surveys. The 3rd phase will involve assisting member governments to formulate a comprehensive population redistribution policy as part of their national development planning. 1st-phase country reports have been completed in Sri Lanka, South Korea, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Migration in Sri Lanka has largely been rural-to-rural with little urbanization so far. The picture in South Korea has been the opposite, with rapid urbanization in the 1960s and 1970s; the government is hoping to divert some population to smaller cities away from Seoul. The pattern in the Philippines is 1 of urban primacy with the metropolis of Manila accounting for over 1/3 of the country's total population. Indonesia is characterized by a dense heartland in the Java-Bali regions. However, the rate of urbanization here has been slower. Migrants in all the countries studied are preponderantly young. The sex differential varies from country to country. The influence of migration on subsequent fertility is unknown.

  11. Training tissue bank operators: the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)/National University of Singapore (NUS) 10 years of experience.

    PubMed

    Nather, A; Phillips, G O; Morales Pedraza, Jorge; Lee, Chris C W

    2009-05-01

    National University of Singapore (NUS) was appointed by IAEA to become IAEA/NUS Regional Training Centre (RTC) for Asia and the Pacific region in September 1996. The Government of Singapore (represented by the Ministry of Environment) with the National Science and Technology Board as the funding agency awarded a grant of S$225,500 to build a new purpose-built tissue bank to be the Regional Training Centre. National University Hospital provided a space of 2,000 square feet for this purpose. The first Diploma Course was launched on 3 November 1997 with 17 candidates with the first NUS Diploma Examination being held in October 1998. Between November 1997 and April 2007, a total of nine courses were conducted by RTC with a total of 180 tissue bank operators, 133 from Asia and the Pacific region (13 countries including 2 from Iran), 14 from Africa (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Egypt, South Africa and Zambia), 6 from Latin America (Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Peru and Uruguay), 9 from Europe (Greece, Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine) and 2 from Australia. The last batch (ninth batch) involved twenty students registered in April 2007 and will be due to sit for the terminal examination only in April 2008.

  12. Super Typhoon Utor Impacts the Philippines

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2017-12-08

    With maximum sustained wind speeds of 140 mph, Super Typhoon Utor made landfall in the Philippines on August 11, 2013 around 18:00z. The storm crossed over the island of Luzon and into the South China Sea. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center predicts Utor will head for the Chinese mainland and make landfall again around 12:00z on the 14th about 200 miles southwest of Hong Kong. This colorized infrared image from the Suomi NPP satellite shows the storm on August 11th at 4:30z. NASA/NOAA NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

  13. Plasmodium knowlesi malaria in a traveller returning from the Philippines to Italy, 2016.

    PubMed

    De Canale, Ettore; Sgarabotto, Dino; Marini, Giulia; Menegotto, Nicola; Masiero, Serena; Akkouche, Wassim; Biasolo, Maria Angela; Barzon, Luisa; Palù, Giorgio

    2017-10-01

    Plasmodium knowlesi is a simian parasite responsible for most human cases of malaria in Malaysian Borneo. A timely recognition of infection is crucial because of the risk of severe disease due to the rapid increase in parasitemia. We report a case of P. knowlesi infection in a traveller who developed fever and thrombocytopenia after returning from the Philippines in 2016. Rapid antigen test was negative, microscopy examination showed parasites similar to Plasmodium malariae, with a parasite count of 10,000 parasites per μL blood, while molecular testing identified P. knowlesi infection. Treatment with atovaquone-proguanil led to resolution of fever and restoration of platelet count in two days. P. knowlesi infection should be suspected in febrile travellers returning from South East Asia. Due to the low sensitivity of rapid antigen tests and the low specificity of microscopy, confirmation by molecular tests is recommended.

  14. Dipturus amphispinus sp. nov., a new longsnout skate (Rajoidei: Rajidae) from the Philippines.

    PubMed

    Last, Peter R; Alava, Moonyeen

    2013-01-01

    A new long-snouted skate, Dipturus amphispinus sp. nov., is formally described based on material caught in the Sulu Sea and later acquired from fish markets of the central and southern Philippines. It differs from its congeners in the western North Pacific, apart from D. wuhanlingi (East and South China Seas), in having a variably-defined, parallel row of posterolaterally directed lumbar thorns, and well-developed scapular thorns on each side of the disc. However, the paired rows of lumbar thorns are better defined in Dipturus amphispinus sp. nov. than in D. wuhanlingi, and these species also differ in some aspects of their morphometrics, meristics and squamation. Dipturus amphispinus sp. nov. displays marked sexual dimorphism with adult males having a relatively broader mouth, much longer teeth, a relatively shorter snout, head and disc, a taller first dorsal fin, and a proportionally longer posterior pelvic-fin lobe and tail, than adult-sized females.

  15. Low-frequency western Pacific Ocean sea level and circulation changes due to the connectivity of the Philippine Archipelago

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhuang, Wei; Qiu, Bo; Du, Yan

    2013-12-01

    Interannual-to-decadal sea level and circulation changes associated with the oceanic connectivity around the Philippine Archipelago are studied using satellite altimeter sea surface height (SSH) data and a reduced gravity ocean model. SSHs in the tropical North Pacific, the Sulu Sea and the eastern South China Sea (ESCS) display very similar low-frequency oscillations that are highly correlated with El Niño and Southern Oscillation. Model experiments reveal that these variations are mainly forced by the low-frequency winds over the North Pacific tropical gyre and affected little by the winds over the marginal seas and the North Pacific subtropical gyre. The wind-driven baroclinic Rossby waves impinge on the eastern Philippine coast and excite coastal Kelvin waves, conveying the SSH signals through the Sibutu Passage-Mindoro Strait pathway into the Sulu Sea and the ESCS. Closures of the Luzon Strait, Karimata Strait, and ITF passages have little impacts on the low-frequency sea level changes in the Sulu Sea and the ESCS. The oceanic pathway west of the Philippine Archipelago modulates the western boundary current system in the tropical North Pacific. Opening of this pathway weakens the time-varying amplitudes of the North Equatorial Current bifurcation latitude and Kuroshio transport. Changes of the amplitudes can be explained by the conceptual framework of island rule that allows for baroclinic adjustment. Although it fails to capture the interannual changes in the strongly nonlinear Mindanao Current, the time-dependent island rule is nevertheless helpful in clarifying the role of the archipelago in regulating its multidecadal variations.

  16. Ubiquitous Detection of Artificial Sweeteners and Iodinated X-ray Contrast Media in Aquatic Environmental and Wastewater Treatment Plant Samples from Vietnam, The Philippines, and Myanmar.

    PubMed

    Watanabe, Yuta; Bach, Leu Tho; Van Dinh, Pham; Prudente, Maricar; Aguja, Socorro; Phay, Nyunt; Nakata, Haruhiko

    2016-05-01

    Water samples from Vietnam, The Philippines, and Myanmar were analyzed for artificial sweeteners (ASs) and iodinated X-ray contrast media (ICMs). High concentrations (low micrograms per liter) of ASs, including aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose, were found in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) influents from Vietnam. Three ICMs, iohexol, iopamidol, and iopromide were detected in Vietnamese WWTP influents and effluents, suggesting that these ICMs are frequently used in Vietnam. ASs and ICMs were found in river water from downtown Hanoi at concentrations comparable to or lower than the concentrations in WWTP influents. The ASs and ICMs concentrations in WWTP influents and adjacent surface water significantly correlated (r (2) = 0.99, p < 0.001), suggesting that household wastewater is discharged directly into rivers in Vietnam. Acesulfame was frequently detected in northern Vietnamese groundwater, but the concentrations varied spatially by one order of magnitude even though the sampling points were very close together. This implies that poorly performing domestic septic tanks sporadically leak household wastewater into groundwater. High acesulfame, cyclamate, saccharin, and sucralose concentrations were found in surface water from Manila, The Philippines. The sucralose concentrations were one order of magnitude higher in the Manila samples than in the Vietnamese samples, indicating that more sucralose is used in The Philippines than in Vietnam. Acesulfame and cyclamate were found in surface water from Pathein (rural) and Yangon (urban) in Myanmar, but no ICMs were found in the samples. The ASs concentrations were two-three orders of magnitude lower in the samples from Myanmar than in the samples from Vietnam and The Philippines, suggesting that different amounts of ASs are used in these countries. We believe this is the first report of persistent ASs and ICMs having ubiquitous distributions in economically emerging South Asian countries.

  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. Electronics Industry Study Report: Semiconductors and Defense Electronics

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2003-01-01

    Access Memory (DRAM) chips and microprocessors. Samsung , Micron, Hynix, and Infineon control almost three-fourths of the DRAM market,8 while Intel alone...Country 2001 Sales ($B) 2002 Sales ($B) % Change % 2002 Mkt 1 1 Intel U.S. 23.7 24.0 1% 16.9% 2 3 Samsung Semiconductor S. Korea 6.3...located in four major regions: the United States, Europe, Japan, and the Asia-Pacific region (includes South Korea, China, Singapore, Malaysia , Taiwan

  19. U. S. Strategy for the Far East: Toward the 21st Century

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-03-31

    countries: Indonesia, Malaysia , Thailand, Singapore, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tonga, Western Samoa, and Kiribati.10 The departure of New Zealand...American demands, a few South Korean firms have opened plants in America: Samsung manufactures TV’s in New Jersey. Another sensitive trade topic is...Pakistan, Malaysia , Hong Kong and India cooperate with the U.S. in our drug war efforts. Burma is the largest producer of opium, but recent domestic

  20. An Interview with Samuel J. Locklear III

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-01-01

    between India and Pakistan and running basically north to south. In addition to a population of 3.6 billion, the area has the world’s largest economies...building partnerships with key nations such as India and Singapore. We are building a partner relationship with China that some people find...well. We hope that the Chinese bring great ships to Pearl Harbor and join in the festivities that are associated with RIMPAC. It’s hard to build

  1. Large-scale weather dynamics during the 2015 haze event in Singapore

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Djamil, Yudha; Lee, Wen-Chien; Tien Dat, Pham; Kuwata, Mikinori

    2017-04-01

    The 2015 haze event in South East Asia is widely considered as a period of the worst air quality in the region in more than a decade. The source of the haze was from forest and peatland fire in Sumatra and Kalimantan Islands, Indonesia. The fires were mostly came from the practice of forest clearance known as slash and burn, to be converted to palm oil plantation. Such practice of clearance although occurs seasonally but at 2015 it became worst by the impact of strong El Nino. The long period of dryer atmosphere over the region due to El Nino makes the fire easier to ignite, spread and difficult to stop. The biomass emission from the forest and peatland fire caused large-scale haze pollution problem in both Islands and further spread into the neighboring countries such as Singapore and Malaysia. In Singapore, for about two months (September-October, 2015) the air quality was in the unhealthy level. Such unfortunate condition caused some socioeconomic losses such as school closure, cancellation of outdoor events, health issues and many more with total losses estimated as S700 million. The unhealthy level of Singapore's air quality is based on the increasing pollutant standard index (PSI>120) due to the haze arrival, it even reached a hazardous level (PSI= 300) for several days. PSI is a metric of air quality in Singapore that aggregate six pollutants (SO2, PM10, PM2.5, NO2, CO and O3). In this study, we focused on PSI variability in weekly-biweekly time scales (periodicity < 30 days) since it is the least understood compare to their diurnal and seasonal scales. We have identified three dominant time scales of PSI ( 5, 10 and 20 days) using Wavelet method and investigated their large-scale atmospheric structures. The PSI associated large-scale column moisture horizontal structures over the Indo-Pacific basin are dominated by easterly propagating gyres in synoptic (macro) scale for the 5 days ( 10 and 20 days) time scales. The propagating gyres manifest as cyclical column moisture flux trajectory around Singapore region. Some of its phases are identified to be responsible in transporting the haze from its source to Singapore. The haze source was identified by compositing number of hotspots in grid-space based on the three time scales of PSI. Further discussion about equatorial waves during the haze event will also be presented.

  2. NASA Sees Tropical Storm Linfa Between Taiwan and Northern Philippines

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2017-12-08

    NASA's Aqua satellite captured a picture of Tropical Storm Linfa in the South China Sea on July 7 when it was between southern Taiwan and the northern Philippines. Aqua passed over Linfa on July 7 at 05:25 UTC (1:25 a.m. EDT) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument captured a visible image of the storm. Bands of thunderstorms wrapping into the center of circulation from the south, draped over western Luzon. The MODIS image showed the tight concentration of thunderstorms around Linfa's center were located over the South China Sea. Fragmented bands of thunderstorms north of the center were brushing over Southern Taiwan while clouds from another band of fragmented thunderstorms stretched northwest through the Taiwan Strait. On July 7 at 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT), Tropical Storm Linfa's maximum sustained winds had increased to 50 knots (57.5 mph/92.6 kph), up from 45 knots (51.7 mph/83.3 kph) six hours before. Linfa strengthened in the warm waters of the South China Sea now that its center has moved away from the northern Philippines and was no longer over land. Linfa was centered near 21.0 North latitude and 118.8 East longitude, about 277 nautical miles (319 miles/513.3 km) east-southeast of Hong Kong, China. Linfa has tracked northward at 3 knots (3.5 mph/5.5 kph). China's National Meteorological Centre has (CNMC) issued a yellow category warning of typhoon at 6:00 a.m. July 7, Beijing Time. CNMC noted that Linfa is the tenth typhoon this year and at that time it was centered about 430 km (267.2 miles) southeast of border between Fujian and Guangdong For updated warnings and watches from the China Meteorological Service, visit: www.cma.gov.cn/en/WeatherWarnings/. Linfa is moving north between Luzon and Taiwan. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center expects Linfa to strengthen to 60 knots (69 mph/111 kph) by mid-day on July 9, before weakening and then making landfall in mainland China. Credit: NASA/GSFC/Jeff Schmaltz/MODIS Land Rapid Response Team NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

  3. Bird Diversity and Structure in Different Land-use Types in Lowland South-Central Mindanao, Philippines

    PubMed Central

    Tanalgo, Krizler Cejuela; Pineda, John Arislyn Fuentes; Agravante, Maricel Estolloso; Amerol, Zabide Mamalo

    2015-01-01

    Birds are crucial to maintaining the balance of many ecosystems by providing various ecological services. The diversity of birds and their feeding guilds in different land-use types were investigated in south-central Mindanao to elucidate the effect of disturbance and habitat modification on bird communities. Point count method was employed to identify birds in three habitat types: i) agroforests; ii) ricefields; iii) roads and heavily disturbed areas. A total of 1114 bird sightings were recorded that included 33 species of 24 families; of these, 3 were Philippine endemics, and 5 were migrant species. Among all of the habitat types, the highest species diversity was found in agroforests (1/D = 16.148), and the lowest was recorded from roads and heavily disturbed habitats. The species composition of agroforests was more similar to ricefields than to areas with high levels of disturbance, such as roads. The characteristic of the vegetation and the availability of food resources may be vital to the diversity of birds in every habitat as evidenced by the high species richness of frugivores and insectivores in agroforests and ricefields, respectively, where food source is largely available. The observation of Streptopelia tranquebarica was a new record for Mindanao, and it was particularly sighted in ricefields. Therefore, this study indicates that land-use change and modification may alter bird diversity structure, and the maintenance of the vegetation in land-use types as food and resource, and as habitat is essential to the conservation of the native and ecologically-important bird species in south-central Mindanao. PMID:26868712

  4. Bird Diversity and Structure in Different Land-use Types in Lowland South-Central Mindanao, Philippines.

    PubMed

    Tanalgo, Krizler Cejuela; Pineda, John Arislyn Fuentes; Agravante, Maricel Estolloso; Amerol, Zabide Mamalo

    2015-12-01

    Birds are crucial to maintaining the balance of many ecosystems by providing various ecological services. The diversity of birds and their feeding guilds in different land-use types were investigated in south-central Mindanao to elucidate the effect of disturbance and habitat modification on bird communities. Point count method was employed to identify birds in three habitat types: i) agroforests; ii) ricefields; iii) roads and heavily disturbed areas. A total of 1114 bird sightings were recorded that included 33 species of 24 families; of these, 3 were Philippine endemics, and 5 were migrant species. Among all of the habitat types, the highest species diversity was found in agroforests (1/D = 16.148), and the lowest was recorded from roads and heavily disturbed habitats. The species composition of agroforests was more similar to ricefields than to areas with high levels of disturbance, such as roads. The characteristic of the vegetation and the availability of food resources may be vital to the diversity of birds in every habitat as evidenced by the high species richness of frugivores and insectivores in agroforests and ricefields, respectively, where food source is largely available. The observation of Streptopelia tranquebarica was a new record for Mindanao, and it was particularly sighted in ricefields. Therefore, this study indicates that land-use change and modification may alter bird diversity structure, and the maintenance of the vegetation in land-use types as food and resource, and as habitat is essential to the conservation of the native and ecologically-important bird species in south-central Mindanao.

  5. Parsing Chinese-Russian Military Exercises

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-04-01

    the rubric of their bilateral friendship treaty, than Peace Mission 2007, which involved com- bat troops from other SCO members. Peace Mission 2009...3rd Air Force and Air Defense Command.145 Russia also contributed 60 armored vehicles (including 40 BMP-2 infantry com- bat vehicles and 13 T-72 main...large U.S.- Philippines amphibious drill and followed a series of U.S.-South Korean mili- tary exercises that some Chinese and Russian com- mentators had

  6. Advances in Mixed Signal Processing for Regional and Teleseismic Arrays

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-08-15

    1: Mixture of signals from two earthquakes from south of Africa and the Philippines observed at USAEDS long-period seismic array in Korea. Correct...window where the detector will miss valid signals . 2 Approaches to detecting signals on arrays all focus on the basic model that expresses the observed...possible use in detecting infrasound signals . The approach is based on orthogonal- ity properties of the eigen vectors of the spectral matrix under a

  7. Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies Annual Report 2010

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-01-01

    focused symposium in the Maldives on combating terrorism involving officials from five South Asia nations; • A series of discussion periods in China on U.S...priorities and best practices among high-level security officials from the Republic of the Philippines, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Mongolia; • A...international security featured as prominently in 2010 in so wide a range of security-related discussions: whether traditional security ( sinking of the

  8. Porphyry copper assessment of East and Southeast Asia: Philippines, Taiwan (Republic of China), Republic of Korea (South Korea), and Japan: Chapter P in Global mineral resource assessment

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hammarstrom, Jane M.; Bookstrom, Arthur A.; Demarr, Michael W.; Dicken, Connie L.; Ludington, Stephen; Robinson, Gilpin R.; Zientek, Michael L.

    2014-01-01

    Descriptions of the geologic basis for delineating each tract, the data used, the geologic criteria and rationale for the assessment, and results of the assessment are included in appendixes along with the description of a geographic information system (GIS) that includes tract boundaries, known porphyry copper deposits and significant prospects, and assessment results.

  9. JPRS Report, East Asia: Southeast Asia.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1991-11-07

    agreement Japan, South Korea, China, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia , and Australia have designated Indonesia as a research center. Meanwhile...injured. I will try to work for the benefit of laborers as much as possible. [NAEO NA] The fact that state enterprise employees are not included in the... employee of the Locksly Arms Trading Company, had to leave the company and strike out on his own because of certain "suspicions." He has gained

  10. Evaluation of three paediatric weight estimation methods in Singapore.

    PubMed

    Loo, Pei Ying; Chong, Shu-Ling; Lek, Ngee; Bautista, Dianne; Ng, Kee Chong

    2013-04-01

    Rapid paediatric weight estimation methods in the emergency setting have not been evaluated for South East Asian children. This study aims to assess the accuracy and precision of three such methods in Singapore children: Broselow-Luten (BL) tape, Advanced Paediatric Life Support (APLS) (estimated weight (kg) = 2 (age + 4)) and Luscombe (estimated weight (kg) = 3 (age) + 7) formulae. We recruited 875 patients aged 1-10 years in a Paediatric Emergency Department in Singapore over a 2-month period. For each patient, true weight and height were determined. True height was cross-referenced to the BL tape markings and used to derive estimated weight (virtual BL tape method), while patient's round-down age (in years) was used to derive estimated weights using APLS and Luscombe formulae, respectively. The percentage difference between the true and estimated weights was calculated. For each method, the bias and extent of agreement were quantified using Bland-Altman method (mean percentage difference (MPD) and 95% limits of agreement (LOA)). The proportion of weight estimates within 10% of true weight (p₁₀) was determined. The BL tape method marginally underestimated weights (MPD +0.6%; 95% LOA -26.8% to +28.1%; p₁₀ 58.9%). The APLS formula underestimated weights (MPD +7.6%; 95% LOA -26.5% to +41.7%; p₁₀ 45.7%). The Luscombe formula overestimated weights (MPD -7.4%; 95% LOA -51.0% to +36.2%; p₁₀ 37.7%). Of the three methods we evaluated, the BL tape method provided the most accurate and precise weight estimation for Singapore children. The APLS and Luscombe formulae underestimated and overestimated the children's weights, respectively, and were considerably less precise. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2013 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

  11. Survey of laboratory practices for diagnosis of fungal infection in seven Asian countries: An Asia Fungal Working Group (AFWG) initiative.

    PubMed

    Chindamporn, Ariya; Chakrabarti, Arunaloke; Li, Ruoyu; Sun, Pei-Lun; Tan, Ban-Hock; Chua, Mitzi; Wahyuningsih, Retno; Patel, Atul; Liu, Zhengyin; Chen, Yee-Chun; Chayakulkeeree, Methee

    2018-06-01

    An online survey of mycology laboratories in seven Asian countries was conducted to assess the status, competence, and services available. Country representatives from the Asia Fungal Working Group (AFWG) contacted as many laboratories performing mycology diagnosis as possible in their respective countries, requesting that the laboratory heads complete the online survey. In total, 241 laboratories responded, including 71 in China, 104 in India, 11 in Indonesia, 26 in the Philippines, four in Singapore, 18 in Taiwan, and seven in Thailand. Overall, 129/241 (53.5%) surveyed mycology laboratories operate as separate designated mycology laboratories, 75/241 (31.1%) conduct regular formal staff training, 103/241 (42.7%) are accredited, and 88/157 (56.1%) participate in external quality assurance scheme (EQAS) programs. Microscopy and culture methods are available in nearly all laboratories, although few perform DNA sequencing (37/219; 16.9%) or use matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF MS) (27/219; 12.3%) for isolate identification. Antifungal susceptibility testing is performed in 142/241 (58.9%) laboratories, mainly for yeasts. The most commonly performed nonculture diagnostic is cryptococcal antigen testing (66 laboratories), followed by galactomannan testing (55), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnosis (37), and beta-D-glucan testing (24). Therapeutic drug monitoring is conducted in 21 laboratories. There is almost no access to advanced diagnostic tests, like galactomannan, β-D-glucan, and PCR, in the surveyed laboratories in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand. These results highlight the need for development of quality laboratories, accreditation and training of manpower in existing laboratories, and access to advanced non-culture-based diagnostic tests to facilitate the diagnosis of fungal infections in Asia.

  12. Assessing risk of breast cancer in an ethnically South-East Asia population (results of a multiple ethnic groups study).

    PubMed

    Gao, Fei; Machin, David; Chow, Khuan-Yew; Sim, Yu-Fan; Duffy, Stephen W; Matchar, David B; Goh, Chien-Hui; Chia, Kee-Seng

    2012-11-19

    Gail and others developed a model (GAIL) using age-at-menarche, age-at-birth of first live child, number of previous benign breast biopsy examinations, and number of first-degree-relatives with breast cancer as well as baseline age-specific breast cancer risks for predicting the 5-year risk of invasive breast cancer for Caucasian women. However, the validity of the model for projecting risk in South-East Asian women is uncertain. We evaluated GAIL and attempted to improve its performance for Singapore women of Chinese, Malay and Indian origins. Data from the Singapore Breast Screening Programme (SBSP) are used. Motivated by lower breast cancer incidence in many Asian countries, we utilised race-specific invasive breast cancer and other cause mortality rates for Singapore women to produce GAIL-SBSP. By using risk factor information from a nested case-control study within SBSP, alternative models incorporating fewer then additional risk factors were determined. Their accuracy was assessed by comparing the expected cases (E) with the observed (O) by the ratio (E/O) and 95% confidence interval (CI) and the respective concordance statistics estimated. From 28,883 women, GAIL-SBSP predicted 241.83 cases during the 5-year follow-up while 241 were reported (E/O=1.00, CI=0.88 to 1.14). Except for women who had two or more first-degree-relatives with breast cancer, satisfactory prediction was present in almost all risk categories. This agreement was reflected in Chinese and Malay, but not in Indian women. We also found that a simplified model (S-GAIL-SBSP) including only age-at-menarche, age-at-birth of first live child and number of first-degree-relatives performed similarly with associated concordance statistics of 0.5997. Taking account of body mass index and parity did not improve the calibration of S-GAIL-SBSP. GAIL can be refined by using national race-specific invasive breast cancer rates and mortality rates for causes other than breast cancer. A revised model containing only three variables (S-GAIL-SBSP) provides a simpler approach for projecting absolute risk of invasive breast cancer in South-East Asia women. Nevertheless its role in counseling the individual women regarding their risk of breast cancer remains problematical and needs to be validated in independent data.

  13. Assessing risk of breast cancer in an ethnically South-East Asia population (results of a multiple ethnic groups study)

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Gail and others developed a model (GAIL) using age-at-menarche, age-at-birth of first live child, number of previous benign breast biopsy examinations, and number of first-degree-relatives with breast cancer as well as baseline age-specific breast cancer risks for predicting the 5-year risk of invasive breast cancer for Caucasian women. However, the validity of the model for projecting risk in South-East Asian women is uncertain. We evaluated GAIL and attempted to improve its performance for Singapore women of Chinese, Malay and Indian origins. Methods Data from the Singapore Breast Screening Programme (SBSP) are used. Motivated by lower breast cancer incidence in many Asian countries, we utilised race-specific invasive breast cancer and other cause mortality rates for Singapore women to produce GAIL-SBSP. By using risk factor information from a nested case-control study within SBSP, alternative models incorporating fewer then additional risk factors were determined. Their accuracy was assessed by comparing the expected cases (E) with the observed (O) by the ratio (E/O) and 95% confidence interval (CI) and the respective concordance statistics estimated. Results From 28,883 women, GAIL-SBSP predicted 241.83 cases during the 5-year follow-up while 241 were reported (E/O=1.00, CI=0.88 to 1.14). Except for women who had two or more first-degree-relatives with breast cancer, satisfactory prediction was present in almost all risk categories. This agreement was reflected in Chinese and Malay, but not in Indian women. We also found that a simplified model (S-GAIL-SBSP) including only age-at-menarche, age-at-birth of first live child and number of first-degree-relatives performed similarly with associated concordance statistics of 0.5997. Taking account of body mass index and parity did not improve the calibration of S-GAIL-SBSP. Conclusions GAIL can be refined by using national race-specific invasive breast cancer rates and mortality rates for causes other than breast cancer. A revised model containing only three variables (S-GAIL-SBSP) provides a simpler approach for projecting absolute risk of invasive breast cancer in South-East Asia women. Nevertheless its role in counseling the individual women regarding their risk of breast cancer remains problematical and needs to be validated in independent data. PMID:23164155

  14. Territorial disputes simmer in areas of South China Sea

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

    Not Available

    1992-07-13

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

  15. Production-based emissions, consumption-based emissions and consumption-based health impacts of PM2.5 carbonaceous aerosols in Asia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Takahashi, Kei; Nansai, Keisuke; Tohno, Susumu; Nishizawa, Masato; Kurokawa, Jun-ichi; Ohara, Toshimasa

    2014-11-01

    This study determined the production-based emissions, the consumption-based emissions, and the consumption-based health impact of primary carbonaceous aerosols (black carbon: BC, organic carbon: OC) in nine countries and regions in Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, China, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan) in 2008. For the production-based emissions, sectoral emissions inventory of BC and OC for the year of 2008 based on the Asian international input-output tables (AIIOT) was compiled including direct emissions from households. Then, a multiregional environmental input-output analysis with the 2008 AIIOT which was originally developed by updating the table of 2000 was applied for calculating the consumption-based emissions for each country and region. For the production-based emissions, China had the highest BC and OC emissions of 4520 Gg-C in total, which accounted for 75% of the total emissions in the nine countries and regions. For consumption-based emissions, China was estimated to have had a total of 4849 Gg-C of BC and OC emissions, which accounted for 77% of the total emissions in the Asia studied. We also quantified how much countries and regions induced emissions in other countries and regions. Furthermore, taking account of the source-receptor relationships of BC and OC among the countries and regions, we converted their consumption-based emissions into the consumption-based health impact of each country and region. China showed the highest consumption-based health impact of BC and OC totaling 111 × 103 premature deaths, followed by Indonesia, Japan, Thailand and South Korea. China accounted for 87% of the sum total of the consumption-based health impacts of the countries/regions, indicating that China's contribution to consumption-based health impact in Asia was greater than its consumption-based emissions. By elucidating the health impacts that each country and region had on other countries and from which country the impacts were received, we demonstrated that the characteristics of the consumption-based health impact varied significantly by country and region. We also determined the difference in the health impacts to other countries and regions due to the domestic final demand of each country and region, and the health impact due to the domestic final demand of that country or region.

  16. Cenozoic plate reconstruction of the South China Sea region

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Tung-Yi; Lawver, Lawrence A.

    1994-07-01

    Reconstructions of the South China Sea region at 60 Ma, 40 Ma, 30 Ma, 20 Ma, 10 Ma and 5 Ma are presented. We have attempted to place the South China Sea Basin in a regional tectonic framework. The tectonic evolution of the major blocks surrounding the South China Sea were analyzed, as well as the relative motions of the Indian and Australian plates. We have tried to correct the tectonic models available in this region. A 3-D graphics terminal was used to derive rotation poles for the different tectonic blocks and our model was then tested to determine its self-consistency. When the model conflicted with previous interpretations the input data were evaluated for alternative explanations. At least two, and possibly three, stages of extension can be recognized in this region. The earliest one, active in the Late Cretaceous to Eocene, involved NW-SE extension. The second one, active from the Late Eocene to Early Miocene involved north-south extension. The third stage of extension, which probably trended NW-SE, can be dated as post-Oligocene. The first extensional event produced the NE-SW trending proto-South China Sea and a series of sedimentary basins along the South China margin. Following the southeastward extrusion of Indochina, the proto-South China Sea was mostly consumed at the Palawan Trough. Renewed north-south extension in the South China continental margin started the present-day South China Sea spreading in the Oligocene. The southeastward extrusion of Indochina, blocked by Sundaland, resulted in the NW-SE trending opening of the South China Sea Basin in the Early Miocene. Collision of the North Palawan microcontinental block with the West Philippines block stopped the opening of the South China Sea at the end of Early Miocene. Spreading activity switched to the Sulu Sea Basin in the Middle Miocene but collision between the Sulu Ridge and the West Philippines at Mindanao halted the opening of the Sulu Sea at the end of the Middle Miocene. In the Late Miocene, Greater India continued its northward path and seems to have ripped open the Andaman Sea. In the Pliocene, subduction along the northern Manila Trench placed the North Luzon Arc on a collision path with the East Asia continental margin at Taiwan. Our reconstructions, along with detailed geological and geophysical information, may be used as a predictive tool for basin evolution models and block interactions in this region. The development of the South China Sea Basin, the Gulf of Thailand, the Malay Basin and the central Thailand basins are the result of collision-induced extensional forces. The Sulu, Celebes and Sumatra basins were formed as a consequence of prolonged subduction. The opening of the Pearl River Mouth, West Natuna, South China Sea, Sulu, and possibly Celebes, basins were terminated by various plate collisions. During the course of plate reorganizations major boundary faults have changed their slip senses during different stages of evolution.

  17. Peritoneal dialysis in Asia.

    PubMed

    Cheng, I K

    1996-01-01

    The socioeconomic status of Asian countries is diverse, and government reimbursement policies for treatment of patients suffering from end-stage renal disease (ESRD) vary greatly from one country to another. Both of these factors have a major impact not only on the choice of treatment for ESRD but also on the utilization of peritoneal dialysis (PD) in this region. Based on the data collected from 11 representative Asian countries, several observations can be made. First, the treatment rates for ESRD in these countries correlated closely with their gross domestic product (GDP) per capita income. Second, the PD utilization rate appeared to have a biphasic relationship with the GDP per capita income and treatment rate, in that countries with the highest and the lowest treatment rates tended to have lower PD utilization rates, whereas countries with modest treatment rates tended to have higher PD utilization rates. The reason for low PD utilization in countries with the highest treatment rates differs from that in countries with low treatment rates. In the former, because of full government reimbursement, there is little physician incentive to introduce PD as an alternative form of ESRD treatment to in-center hemodialysis (HD), whereas in the latter, the complete lack of government reimbursement prevents the introduction of PD as a form of treatment. This pattern is likely to change in the future because, of the 11 countries surveyed, all except Thailand have recorded a growth rate which is higher for PD than HD over the last three years. The rate of utilization of different PD systems varies greatly among different Asian countries. Automated PD has yet to gain popularity in Asia. Conventional straight-line systems remain the dominant PD systems in use in Hong Kong, Korea, Thailand, and the Philippines, while in Malaysia and Singapore UV germicidal connection devices are most popular. However, in all these countries there has been a progressive shift over the last three years from the straight-line systems with or without germicidal connection devices to the disconnect systems. In China and India, where PD has been introduced only recently, the disconnect systems are used almost exclusively. The disconnect systems are also the most popular systems in use in Japan and Taiwan. As data concerning the cost-effectiveness of different PD systems becomes available, it is likely that trend towards a more liberal use of disconnect systems will continue in the future. The usage of low calcium peritoneal dialysate and the average number of daily CAPD exchanges also vary among the Asian countries. Low calcium peritoneal dialysate has been introduced only in Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, with the highest utilization rate (90%) recorded in Singapore. The Philippines had the lowest average number of daily peritoneal exchanges (6L) among the countries surveyed, followed by Hong Kong (6.4L), China and Indonesia (7L), and the rest (8L). The use of a lower number of exchanges was introduced in some countries, initially, mainly as a cost-saving measure based on the assumption that Asians are of small body build. The justification for the continued use of a lower number of exchanges among Asian patients is debatable, but is supported by the acceptable, long-term clinical outcome of patients given this form of dialysis prescription. It is suggested that long-term prospective studies on dialysis adequacy and clinical outcome should be done in different ethnic groups in Asia to see if the similar guidelines with regard to dialysis adequacy can be applied uniformly to Orientals and Caucasians.

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

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2001-01-01

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

  19. U.S. Strategic and Defense Relationships in the Asia-Pacific Region

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-01-22

    Question and Answer Session Shangri - La Dialogue, Singapore, June 3, 2006. 102 “New Power Dynamics in Southeast Asia,” Policy Memo, The Stanley...Hadley to the National Bureau of Asian Research Strategic Asia Forum,” Ritz Carleton Hotel Washington, April 5, 2006. 25 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs...Strategic Asia Forum,” Ritz Carleton Hotel Washington, April 5, 2006. 97 “Gathering Steam: India and the United States Extend Military Ties,” South

  20. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW): Congressional Issues

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-12-14

    marriage partner. On October 6, 1999, the U.N. General Assembly adopted an Optional Protocol to strengthen the Convention.7 The Protocol entered into force...Consent to Marriage (1957).8 In 1967, after two years of negotiations, the U.N. General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Elimination of... Malaysia ; Mauritius; Netherlands; Portugal; Republic of Korea; Singapore; Slovenia; South Africa; and Thailand. 12 A full list of CEDAW Committee

  1. Crust and uppermost mantle structure of the Kyushu-Palau Ridge, remnant arc on the Philippine Sea plate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nishizawa, Azusa; Kaneda, Kentaro; Oikawa, Mitsuhiro

    2016-02-01

    We acquired 27 wide-angle seismic profiles to investigate variation in crustal structure along the Kyushu-Palau Ridge (KPR), a 2600-km-long remnant island arc in the center of the Philippine Sea plate; 26 lines were shot across the strike of the KPR at 13°-31°N, and one was shot along the northernmost KPR. The derived P-wave velocity (Vp) models show that the KPR has a crustal thickness of 8-23 km, which is thicker than the neighboring backarc basin oceanic crusts of the West Philippine Basin to the west and the Shikoku and Parece Vela Basins to the east. While the KPR crust consists mainly of lower crusts with a Vp of 6.8-7.2 km/s, the thicker crust contains a thick middle crust with Vp of 6.0-6.8 km/s. In general, the KPR crust is thicker in the north than in the south. The uppermost mantle velocities just below the KPR bathymetric highs are lower than 8.0 km/s and are commonly associated with a slightly high Vp of 7.2 km/s at the base of the crust. Large amplitude reflection signals are sometimes observed at far offsets on several lines suggesting the existence of several reflectors at depths of 23-40 km in the mantle beneath the KPR. The characteristics of these reflections are similar to these observed beneath the Izu-Ogasawara (Bonin) island arc, the tectonically conjugate arc of the KPR before backarc basin spreading. Very thin crust and high Pn velocities characterize the transition between the KPR and the eastern basins, which is probably a relic of the initial stage of the rifting. West of the KPR, the crust varies in structure from north to south as a result of the different tectonic settings in which it evolved.

  2. Dynamics of Clouds and Mesoscale Circulations over the Maritime Continent

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jin, Y.; Wang, S.; Xian, P.; Reid, J. S.; Nachamkin, J.

    2010-12-01

    In recent decades Southeast Asia (SEA) has seen rapid economic growth as well as increased biomass burning, resulting in high air pollution levels and reduced air qual-ity. At the same time clouds often prevent accurate air-quality monitoring and analysis using satellite observations. The Seven SouthEast Asian Studies (7SEAS) field campaign currently underway over SEA provides an unprecedented opportunity to study the com-plex interplay between aerosol and clouds. 7SEAS is a comprehensive interdisciplinary atmospheric sciences program through international partnership of NASA, NRL, ONR and seven local institutions including those from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. While the original goal of 7SEAS is to iso-late the impacts of aerosol particles on weather and the environment, it is recognized that better understanding of SEA meteorological conditions, especially those associated with cloud formation and evolution, is critical to the success of the campaign. In this study we attempt to gain more insight into the dynamic and physical processes associated with low level clouds and atmospheric circulation at the regional scale over SEA, using the Navy’s Coupled Ocean/Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS® ), a regional forecast model in operation at FNMOC since 1998. This effort comprises two main components. First, multiple-years of COAMPS operational forecasts over SEA are analyzed for basic climatology of atmospheric fea-tures. Second, mesoscale circulation and cloud properties are simulated at relatively higher resolution (15-km) for selected periods in the Gulf of Tonkin and adjacent coastal areas. Simulation results are compared to MODIS cloud observations and local sound-ings obtained during 7SEAS for model verifications. Atmospheric boundary layer proc-esses are examined in relation to spatial and temporal variations of cloud fields. The cur-rent work serves as an important step toward improving our understanding of the effects of aerosol particles on maritime clouds. The detailed analysis will be presented at the conference.

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

    PubMed

    Yahya, Noorazrul; Roslan, Nurhaziqah

    2018-01-08

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

  4. Genotypic Distribution of Hepatitis C Virus in Thailand and Southeast Asia

    PubMed Central

    Wasitthankasem, Rujipat; Vongpunsawad, Sompong; Siripon, Nipaporn; Suya, Chutima; Chulothok, Phrutsada; Chaiear, Kasemporn; Rujirojindakul, Pairaya; Kanjana, Sawan; Theamboonlers, Apiradee; Tangkijvanich, Pisit; Poovorawan, Yong

    2015-01-01

    The majority of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection results in chronic infection, which can lead to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Global burden of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is estimated at 150 million individuals, or 3% of the world’s population. The distribution of the seven major genotypes of HCV varies with geographical regions. Since Asia has a high incidence of HCV, we assessed the distribution of HCV genotypes in Thailand and Southeast Asia. From 588 HCV-positive samples obtained throughout Thailand, we characterized the HCV 5’ untranslated region, Core, and NS5B regions by nested PCR. Nucleotide sequences obtained from both the Core and NS5B of these isolates were subjected to phylogenetic analysis, and genotypes were assigned using published reference genotypes. Results were compared to the epidemiological data of HCV genotypes identified within Southeast Asian. Among the HCV subtypes characterized in the Thai samples, subtype 3a was the most predominant (36.4%), followed by 1a (19.9%), 1b (12.6%), 3b (9.7%) and 2a (0.5%). While genotype 1 was prevalent throughout Thailand (27–36%), genotype 3 was more common in the south. Genotype 6 (20.9%) constituted subtype 6f (7.8%), 6n (7.7%), 6i (3.4%), 6j and 6m (0.7% each), 6c (0.3%), 6v and 6xa (0.2% each) and its prevalence was significantly lower in southern Thailand compared to the north and northeast (p = 0.027 and p = 0.030, respectively). Within Southeast Asia, high prevalence of genotype 6 occurred in northern countries such as Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam, while genotype 3 was prevalent in Thailand and Malaysia. Island nations of Singapore, Indonesia and Philippines demonstrated prevalence of genotype 1. This study further provides regional HCV genotype information that may be useful in fostering sound public health policy and tracking future patterns of HCV spread. PMID:25962112

  5. Type 2 diabetes in youth from the Western Pacific region: glycaemic control, diabetes care and complications.

    PubMed

    Eppens, Maike C; Craig, Maria E; Jones, Timothy W; Silink, Martin; Ong, Stephanie; Ping, Yeo Jing

    2006-05-01

    To describe the glycaemic control, diabetes care and prevalence of complications in youth with type 2 diabetes from the Western Pacific Region. Cross-sectional, clinic-based audit of 331 patients aged < 18 years from 56 centres in Australia, China-Beijing, China-Shanghai, China-Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. Clinical and management data were recorded along with glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)), lipids and complication rates. Glycaemic control, complications, diabetes management. Median age was 14.9 years (interquartile range 13.2-16.4 years) and median diabetes duration 2.3 years (1.4-3.6 years). Median HbA(1c) was 7% (5.9-9.9%) and HbA(1c) was > 7.5% in 40% of patients. In multiple regression analysis, glycaemic control varied significantly between countries (p = 0.02); higher HbA(1c) was associated with fewer home blood glucose measurements (p = 0.005) and higher insulin dose/kg (p < 0.0001). Blood glucose monitoring was performed by 65% of patients (range 33-96% by country). In 25% of patients, management consisted of diet alone or no treatment (range 0-53% by country); oral anti-diabetic drugs alone were used in 49%, insulin alone in 11% and both in 15%. Microalbuminuria was found in 8% and hypertension in 24%. The risk of hypertension increased with higher BMI (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.09-1.24, p < 0.0001); antihypertensive agents were used in 4% of patients. The management of type 2 diabetes in youth from the Western Pacific Region varies widely. Hypertension and microalbuminuria were frequent, but not commonly treated. Further investigation into the natural history and risk factors for complications in youth with type 2 diabetes is required to assist in developing evidence based management guidelines.

  6. Thickness of the Descending Philippine Sea Plate Estimated from Tomographic Images beneath the Kumano Basin, along the Nankai Trough, Southwestern Japan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kamiya, S.; Suzuki, K.; Takahashi, N.

    2015-12-01

    The Philippine Sea plate subducts northwestward beneath the Japanese islands from the south. The average thickness of the overall Philippine Sea plate has been investigated in the oceanic area using surface wave analyses [e.g. Abe and Kanamori, 1970], suggesting a thin (30-40 km thick) plate. On the other hand, several studies have indicated a thicker Philippine Sea plate based on source mechanisms and seismicity in the eastern rim of the plate [Seno, 1987; Moriyama et al., 1989]. From tomographic images, Kamiya and Kobayashi [2007] pointed out that the subducting Philippine Sea slab has thickness variation with a stepwise offset east of Izu Peninsula. The eastern (the Kanto district) and western (north of Izu Peninsula and the Tokai district) regions have respective thicknesses of 60 and 25 km. In the Kumano basin, the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) developed the Dense Oceanfloor Network System for Earthquakes and Tsunami (DONET) in order to monitor seismic activity [Kaneda et al., 2009; Kawaguchi et al., 2010]. DONET ocean-bottom stations are connected with an optical fiber cable, and data are transferred in real time to our laboratory at JAMSTEC. The present study obtains three-dimensional P-wave and S-wave seismic velocity models beneath the Kumano basin by employing an travel time tomography technique. We pick arrival times of P and S waves from the waveform data recorded by the DONET system during the period from January 2011 to December 2014. In order to improve the resolution in the deeper regions than the seismic area inside of the descending slab, we also pick arrival times from the seismic events occurred outside of this district. We use these picked arrival times adding to the JMA catalogue data in seismic tomography. From the obtained tomographic images, we find high velocity anomalies corresponding to the descending Philippine Sea slab. We also find low velocity anomalies under the high velocity slab clearly. There seems to be a sharp velocity contrast between the anomalies. We can estimate the thickness of the descending slab at about 30 km, which is almost consistent with the thickness beneath the Tokai district estimated by Kamiya and Kobayashi [2007] and comparable to the effective elastic thickness beneath the eastern part of the Shikoku basin estimated by Yoshioka and Ito [2001].

  7. Landfalling characteristics of the tropical cyclones generated in the South China Sea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, L.; Wang, D.

    2012-12-01

    Tracks of tropical cyclones (TCs) in the South China Sea (SCS) during 1970-2010 can mainly be divided into two categories: Westward (including west and northwest) and Eastward (east and northeast). TCs moving westward tend to make landfall along the South china or Vietnam coast, while those moving eastward tend to dissipate in the ocean or make landfall on Taiwan, Philippine Islands or occasionally the South China coast. During spring (April-May), there are 17 TCs generated in the SCS, among which 13 moves eastward, but only 4 moves westward. A total of 95 TCs forms in the SCS during TC peak season (June-September), among which 71 TCs move westward, about three times more than that moving eastward (24). During October-December, 33 TCs move westward and 12 eastward. The variability of TC track direction is investigated on intraseasonal, seasonal and inter-annual scale circulation. It is found that TC landfall activities are related to Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), monsoon activities and TC genesis locations.

  8. Creating the High-Resolution Settlement Layer - lessons learned

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gros, A.

    2017-12-01

    Facebook publishes the High-resolution Settlement Layer (HRSL: https://ciesin.columbia.edu/data/hrsl/) in collaboration with Columbia University's CIESIN institute and the World Bank. So far, data for 13 countries have been published over the past nine months. HRSL data for Burkina Faso, Ghana, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Malawi, Mexico, The Philippines, Rwanda, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Uganda are available for download. We will present a status update and report on lessons learned.

  9. Army Pacific Pathways: Comprehensive Assessment and Planning Needed to Capture Benefits Relative to Costs and Enhance Value for Participating Units

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-11-01

    Force and Number of Personnela Exercises 14 Aug. – Nov. 2014 2-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team (BCT) ~820 personnel Keris Strike ( Malaysia ... Malaysia ) 15-3 June-July, Aug. – Nov. 2015 1-25 Stryker BCT ~420 personnel Khan Quest (Mongolia) Orient Shield (Japan) Hoguk (South Korea...Sept. 2016 2-2 Stryker BCT ~700 personnel Hanuman Guardian (Thailand) Salaknib (Philippines) Garuda Shield (Indonesia) Keris Strike ( Malaysia

  10. UNITED STATES NAVAL STRATEGY IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA TO ENSURE INTERNATIONAL FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-02-12

    Europe (FOB-E) Detachment Naples, as well as assignments on the Joint Staff as well as the OPNAV Staff in Washington DC. His hobbies include hiking ...defense, control of maritime trade, defending the regime against domestic threats, and ensuring economic benefit to the state.”9 Additionally, the...million in 7 maritime aid to its Southeast Asian allies -- including a warship for the Philippines.”33 This closer relationship could benefit not

  11. Food consumption patterns and nutrition transition in South-East Asia.

    PubMed

    Lipoeto, Nur Indrawaty; Geok Lin, Khor; Angeles-Agdeppa, Imelda

    2013-09-01

    The present study was done to confirm the relationship between changes in food patterns and nutrition transition in three South-East Asian countries, namely the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. This was a cross-sectional study conducted between August 2008 and August 2009 using three methods: interviews, focus group discussions and analyses of government reports. The study was conducted in rural and urban areas in Manila and Calabanga (Philippines), Selangor and Kuala Selangor (Malaysia), and Padang, Pariaman Tanah Datar and Limapuluh Kota (West Sumatra, Indonesia). Adults aged 18 to 77 years. The results showed that Filipinos, Malaysians and Indonesians have retained many aspects of their traditional diets. In fact, most participants in the study considered Western-style and franchise fast foods as snack or recreational foods to be consumed once in a while only. However, a significant difference was noted between urban and rural areas in food varieties consumed. Participants in urban areas consumed more varieties of traditional foods owing to their availability and the participants’ food purchasing power. Although traditional food patterns were maintained by most of the participants, more sugar and vegetable oils were consumed and added to the traditional recipes. The rapid nutrition transition in this region may be due, instead, to increasing food availability and food purchasing power, rather than to a shift in food preferences towards modern Western foods.

  12. Does Having a Migrant Parent Reduce the Risk of Undernutrition for Children Who Stay Behind in South-East Asia?

    PubMed Central

    Graham, Elspeth; Jordan, Lucy P.

    2014-01-01

    Many parents from South-East Asia who go overseas to work are motivated by a desire to secure a better future for their children, yet the health consequences for children who stay behind are poorly understood. This study is the first cross-country comparison to explore the relationships between parental migration and the risk of undernutrition (stunting) for primary school-aged children. The analysis uses data from the CHAMPSEA Project for children aged 9 to 11 years in the Philippines (N = 480) and Vietnam (N = 482). A series of logistic regression models compares outcomes for children living in transnational households and children living with both parents in non-migrant households in the same communities. We find no general advantage of having a migrant parent. Rather there is a reduced risk of stunting only for some left-behind children in the Philippines, whereas having a caregiver with low educational attainment is a major risk factor for all children. The findings point to a complex set of relationships between parental migration and child nutrition, possibly reflecting differential opportunities for accumulating household wealth through overseas earnings. Moreover, differences between the two countries caution against generalizing across national or cultural groups. We conclude by considering the implications of the findings for theories of transnationalism and for the UN Millennium Development Goal of reducing childhood undernutrition. PMID:24966445

  13. Seismic characteristics of Sumatra and its relevance to Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, Jichun; Pan, Tso-Chien

    In this paper we first use the great Mexico City earthquake of 1985 to demonstrate that great earthquakes not only cause devastating losses locally, but can also be dangerous to buildings on soft soils several hundred kilometers away. The building responses to some recent earthquakes suggest that in South East Asia, similar scenarios cannot be totally ruled out. Secondly, the cause and the characteristics of teh earthquakes in the Sumatra area are reviewed. Thirdly we present the results of a preliminary investigation into the risk of very large earthquakes in Sumatra. The result indicates that the recurrence interval of an earthquake with a moment magnitude ( Mw) of 8.5 or larger is about 340 years, which is equivalent to a 14% probability of exceedance within 50 years. The results imply that the risk of a very large earthquake is high in Sumatra, and that its potential effects on the distant metropolitan areas in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore should be investigated in further research.

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

    Nagase, Hideki

    For the purpose of this presentation, Asia has been broadly defined as a total of 15 countries, namely Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Myanmar, India, Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand. In 1994 and the first half of 1995, the methanol industry and its derivative industries experienced hard time, because of extraordinarily high methanol prices. In spite of this circumstance, methanol demand in Asian countries has been growing steadily and remarkably, following Asian high economic growth. Most of this growth in demand has been and will continue to be met by outside supply. However,more » even with increased import of methanol from outside of Asia, as a result of this growth, Asian trade volume will be much larger in the coming years. Asian countries must turn their collective attention to making logistics and transportation for methanol and its derivatives more efficient in the Asian region to make better use of existing supply resources. The author reviews current economic growth as his main topic, and explains the forecast of the growth of methanol demand and supply in Asian countries in the near future.« less

  15. Early introduction of allergenic foods for the prevention of food allergy from an Asian perspective-An Asia Pacific Association of Pediatric Allergy, Respirology & Immunology (APAPARI) consensus statement.

    PubMed

    Tham, Elizabeth Huiwen; Shek, Lynette Pei-Chi; Van Bever, Hugo Ps; Vichyanond, Pakit; Ebisawa, Motohiro; Wong, Gary Wk; Lee, Bee Wah

    2018-02-01

    Emerging evidence for the early introduction of allergenic foods for the prevention of food allergies, such as peanut allergy in Western populations, has led to the recent publication of guidelines in the USA and Europe recommending early peanut introduction for high-risk infants with severe eczema or egg allergy. Peanut allergy is, however, much less prevalent in Asia compared to the West. Varying patterns of food allergy are seen even within Asian countries-such as a predominance of wheat allergy in Japan and Thailand and shellfish allergy in Singapore and the Philippines. Customs and traditions, such as diet and infant feeding practices, also differ between Asian populations. Hence, there are unique challenges in adapting guidelines on early allergenic food introduction to the Asian setting. In this paper, we review the evidence and discuss the possible approaches to guide the timely introduction of allergenic food in high-risk infants in Asia. © 2017 EAACI and John Wiley and Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

  16. Why some family planning program fail.

    PubMed

    1976-04-01

    40 experts representing Nepal, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Korea, and the Philippines participated in a 3-day workshop in Manila in March 1976 for the purpose of discussing and proposing ways of dealing with the financial problems confronting the population programs of the individual countries. The Inter-Governmental Coordinating Committee for Southeast Asia Family/Population Planning sponsored the workshop. The recommendations made at the meeting were: 1) standardization of financing reporting procedures by the region's country programs on family planning; 2) closer coordination between donor agencies and policy-making bodies of country programs in the disbursement of funds; 3) frequent exchanges of experiences, ideas, technicaL knowledge, and other matters pertaining to the financial management of such programs; and 4) inclusion of applicable financial management topics in the training of clinical staffs and those involved in follow-up operations. Additionally, a proposal was made that national population organizations or committees develop research and evaluation units. Workshop discussion sessions focused on financial planning and management, accounting and disbursement of funds, use and control of foreign aid, cost of effectiveness and benefit analysis, and financial reporting.

  17. Comprehensive spectrum of BRCA1 and BRCA2 deleterious mutations in breast cancer in Asian countries.

    PubMed

    Kwong, Ava; Shin, Vivian Y; Ho, John C W; Kang, Eunyoung; Nakamura, Seigo; Teo, Soo-Hwang; Lee, Ann S G; Sng, Jen-Hwei; Ginsburg, Ophira M; Kurian, Allison W; Weitzel, Jeffrey N; Siu, Man-Ting; Law, Fian B F; Chan, Tsun-Leung; Narod, Steven A; Ford, James M; Ma, Edmond S K; Kim, Sung-Won

    2016-01-01

    Approximately 5%-10% of breast cancers are due to genetic predisposition caused by germline mutations; the most commonly tested genes are BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. Some mutations are unique to one family and others are recurrent; the spectrum of BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations varies depending on the geographical origins, populations or ethnic groups. In this review, we compiled data from 11 participating Asian countries (Bangladesh, Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam), and from ethnic Asians residing in Canada and the USA. We have additionally conducted a literature review to include other Asian countries mainly in Central and Western Asia. We present the current pathogenic mutation spectrum of BRCA1/BRCA2 genes in patients with breast cancer in various Asian populations. Understanding BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations in Asians will help provide better risk assessment and clinical management of breast cancer. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  18. Epidemiologic update on the dengue situation in the Western Pacific Region, 2011

    PubMed Central

    Edelstein, Zoe Rebecca; Han, Hwi Kwang; Matsui, Tamano

    2013-01-01

    Dengue is an emerging vectorborne infectious disease that is a major public health concern in the Asia and the Pacific. Official dengue surveillance data for 2011 provided by ministries of health were summarized as part of routine activities of the World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific. Based on officially reported surveillance data, dengue continued to show sustained activity in the Western Pacific Region. In 2011, Member States reported a total of 244 855 cases of which 839 died for a case fatality rate of 0.34%. More than 1000 cases were reported each from Cambodia, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Marshall Islands, Singapore and Viet Nam. Cambodia, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands reported higher activity relative to 2010. There continues to be great variability among the dengue-endemic countries and areas in the Region in the number of cases and serotype distribution. The continued high notification rate and complex dengue epidemiology in the Region highlight the need for information-sharing on a routine and timely basis. PMID:24015372

  19. Examining the reaction of monetary policy to exchange rate changes: A nonlinear ARDL approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Manogaran, Lavaneesvari; Sek, Siok Kun

    2017-04-01

    Previous studies showed the exchange rate changes can have significant impacts on macroeconomic performance. Over fluctuation of exchange rate may lead to economic instability. Hence, monetary policy rule tends to react to exchange rate changes. Especially, in emerging economies where the policy-maker tends to limit the exchange rate movement through interventions. In this study, we seek to investigate how the monetary policy rule reacts to exchange rate changes. The nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) model is applied to capture the asymmetric effect of exchange rate changes on monetary policy reaction function (interest rate). We focus the study in ASEAN5 countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Singapore). The results indicated the existence of asymmetric effect of exchange rates changes on the monetary reaction function for all ASEAN5 countries in the long-run. Where, in majority of the cases the monetary policy is reacting to the appreciation and depreciation of exchange rate by raising the policy rate. This affirms the intervention of policymakers with the `fear of floating' behavior.

  20. Epidemiologic update on the dengue situation in the Western Pacific Region, 2011.

    PubMed

    Arima, Yuzo; Edelstein, Zoe Rebecca; Han, Hwi Kwang; Matsui, Tamano

    2013-01-01

    Dengue is an emerging vectorborne infectious disease that is a major public health concern in the Asia and the Pacific. Official dengue surveillance data for 2011 provided by ministries of health were summarized as part of routine activities of the World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific. Based on officially reported surveillance data, dengue continued to show sustained activity in the Western Pacific Region. In 2011, Member States reported a total of 244,855 cases of which 839 died for a case fatality rate of 0.34%. More than 1000 cases were reported each from Cambodia, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Marshall Islands, Singapore and Viet Nam. Cambodia, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands reported higher activity relative to 2010. There continues to be great variability among the dengue-endemic countries and areas in the Region in the number of cases and serotype distribution. The continued high notification rate and complex dengue epidemiology in the Region highlight the need for information-sharing on a routine and timely basis.

  1. Evaluating the Cost-Effectiveness of Lifestyle Modification versus Metformin Therapy for the Prevention of Diabetes in Singapore

    PubMed Central

    Png, May Ee; Yoong, Joanne Su-Yin

    2014-01-01

    Background In Singapore, as diabetes is an increasingly important public health issue, the cost-effectiveness of pursuing lifestyle modification programs and/or alternative prevention strategies is of critical importance for policymakers. While the US Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) compared weight loss through lifestyle modification with oral treatment of diabetes drug metformin to prevent/delay the onset of type 2 diabetes in pre-diabetic subjects, no data on either the actual or potential cost effectiveness of such a program is available for East or South-east Asian populations. This study estimates the 3-year cost-effectiveness of lifestyle modification and metformin among pre-diabetic subjects from a Singapore health system and societal perspective. Methodology Cost effectiveness was analysed from 2010–2012 using a decision-based model to estimate the rates of getting diabetes, healthcare costs and health-related quality of life. Cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) was estimated using costs relevant to the time horizon of the study from Singapore. All costs are expressed in 2012 US dollars. Principal Findings The total economic cost for non-diabetic subjects from the societal perspective was US$25,867, US$28,108 and US$26,177 for placebo, lifestyle modification and metformin intervention respectively. For diabetic patients, the total economic cost from the societal perspective was US$32,921, US$35,163 and US$33,232 for placebo, lifestyle modification and metformin intervention respectively. Lifestyle modification relative to placebo is likely to be associated with an incremental cost per QALY gained at US$36,663 while that of metformin intervention is likely to be US$6,367 from a societal perspective. Conclusion Based on adaptation of the DPP data to local conditions, both lifestyle modification and metformin intervention are likely to be cost-effective and worth implementing in Singapore to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. However, the cost of lifestyle modification from the societal perspective would have to be reduced in order to match the cost-effectiveness of metformin intervention. PMID:25203633

  2. Polyphase tectonics at the southern tip of the Manila trench, Mindoro-Tablas Islands, Philippines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marchadier, Yves; Rangin, Claude

    1990-11-01

    The southern termination of the Manila trench within the South China Sea continental margin in Mindoro is marked by a complex polyphase tectonic fabric in the arc-trench gap area. Onshore Southern Mindoro the active deformation front of the Manila trench is marked by parallel folds and thrusts, grading southward to N50° W-trending left-lateral strike-slip faults. This transpressive tectonic regime, active at least since the Late Pliocene, has overprinted the collision of an Early Miocene volcanic arc with the South China Sea continental margin (San Jose platform). The collision is postdated by deposition of the Late Miocene-Early Pliocene elastics of the East Mindoro basin. The tectonic and geological framework of this arc, which overlies a metamorphic basement and Eocene elastics, suggests that it was built on a drifted block of the South China Sea continental margin.

  3. Defense.gov - Special Report: Joint Special Operations Task Force

    Science.gov Websites

    Philippines, looks through an improvised explosive device coloring book that teaches children IED awareness Philippine Forces Challenge Children ILIGAN CITY, Philippines, Feb. 25, 2010 – Philippine national police Force Philippines PHOTO Essays U.S., Philippine Forces Train Together Children of the Philippines Await

  4. Southeast Asian Perceptions of U.S. Security Policy in the Post-Cold War Era

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-06-01

    of the islands or reefs in the Spratlys as sovereign Bruneian territory, other claimants pose a threat to Bruneian waters , where much of the country’s...Southeast Asian waters . Malaysia has grown very wary of China’s naval expansion and force projection in the South China Sea (Stubbs, 1992: 401...Malaysian territorial waters . Singapore has no formal alliances with the United States, but in January .1992 President Bush and Prime Minister Goh Chok

  5. The Cold War and Beyond: Chronology of the United States Air Force, 1947-1997

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1997-01-01

    aircraft lands on the ice at McMurdo Sound after a 2,200-mile flight from Christchurch, New Zealand . 15 November: Tuy Hoa AB, the first air base in South...by two F-15s and an E-3A to New Zealand , Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand to demonstrate these new aircraft. 1 October: Operation Elf is initiated...Extender tanker from the 22d Air Refueling Wing, March AFB, California, operates for the first time from Christchurch International Airport, New Zealand

  6. Risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Seroconversion in U.S. Navy Personnel Following Visits to Foreign Ports

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1991-03-25

    500 - 999 visits 47. Inchon, South Korea 78. Frederiksted, Virgin Is. 9. Bahrain 48. Palermo , Italy 79. Valencia, Spain 10. Augusta Bay, Italy 49...Muscat, Oman 80. Tunis, Tunisia 11. Hong Kong 81. Glasgow, Scotland 12. Palma, Spain 75 - 99 visits 82. Cartagena, Colombia 13. Singapore 50. Cannes...Holy Loch, Scotland 264 81. Glasgow, Scotland 57 32. Esquimalt, Canada 245 82. Cartagena, Colombia 55 33. Cartagena, Spain 206 83. Numazu, Japan 55 34

  7. Dancing with the Dragon: U.S.-China Engagement Policy

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-03-01

    long as it catches mice .”12 Under Deng and the reformed CPC, China gained international recognition and respect in twenty short years. Hong Kong was...2 The rising economies of the so-called “Four Little Dragons”— Hong Kong , Singapore, Taiwan, and South Korea—provide a text-book example of the U.S...war, Hong 4 Kong Island was ceded to United Kingdom in 1842 under the Treaty of Nanking. This marked the first unequal treaty in modern Chinese

  8. Higher Education and Entrepreneurial Citizenship in Singapore

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Christensen, Soren

    2012-01-01

    Focusing on Singapore's "Global Schoolhouse" project, this article discusses how efforts to transform Singapore into a "world class" knowledge economy entail changes to the status of citizenship in Singapore. The project of wooing top foreign universities to Singapore is permeated with an entrepreneurial ideal of Singapore as…

  9. Directional Analysis of the Storm Surge from Hurricane Sandy 2012, with Applications to Charleston, New Orleans, and the Philippines

    PubMed Central

    Drews, Carl; Galarneau, Thomas J.

    2015-01-01

    Hurricane Sandy in late October 2012 drove before it a storm surge that rose to 4.28 meters above mean lower low water at The Battery in lower Manhattan, and flooded the Hugh L. Carey automobile tunnel between Brooklyn and The Battery. This study examines the surge event in New York Harbor using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) atmospheric model and the Coupled-Ocean-Atmosphere-Wave- Sediment Transport / Regional Ocean Modeling System (COAWST/ROMS). We present a new technique using directional analysis to calculate and display maps of a coastline's potential for storm surge; these maps are constructed from wind fields blowing from eight fixed compass directions. This analysis approximates the surge observed during Hurricane Sandy. The directional analysis is then applied to surge events at Charleston, South Carolina, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Tacloban City, the Philippines. Emergency managers could use these directional maps to prepare their cities for an approaching storm, on planning horizons from days to years. PMID:25822480

  10. Seven new species of Psechrus and additional taxonomic contributions to the knowledge of the spider family Psechridae (Araneae).

    PubMed

    Bayer, Steffen

    2014-01-27

    Seven new Psechrus species are described from South East Asia: P. arietinus sp. nov.(♂♀, Vietnam), P. insulanus sp. nov.(♂, Thailand), P. ampullaceus sp. nov.(♂♀, Vietnam), P. omistes sp. nov.(♂, Indonesia, Sumatra), P. quasillus sp. nov.(♂♀, Malaysia, Borneo), P. huberi sp. nov.(♀, Philippines), and P. wade sp. nov.(♂, Philippines). For the following species, new records are listed and intraspecific variation is discussed and illustrated: P. libelti Kulczyński, 1908, P. norops Bayer, 2012, P. rani Wang & Yin, 2001, P. khammouan Jäger, 2007, P. luangprabang Jäger, 2007, P. jaegeri Bayer, 2012, P. obtectus Bayer, 2012, P. kenting Yoshida, 2009 and P. crepido Bayer, 2012, and Fecenia protensa Thorell, 1891. The latter species is recorded from Vietnam for the first time. P. norops, P. libelti and an unidentified Psechrus species from Baluno, Mindanao are for the first time characterised and illustrated by their pre-epigynes and pre-vulvae.

  11. Directional analysis of the storm surge from Hurricane Sandy 2012, with applications to Charleston, New Orleans, and the Philippines.

    PubMed

    Drews, Carl; Galarneau, Thomas J

    2015-01-01

    Hurricane Sandy in late October 2012 drove before it a storm surge that rose to 4.28 meters above mean lower low water at The Battery in lower Manhattan, and flooded the Hugh L. Carey automobile tunnel between Brooklyn and The Battery. This study examines the surge event in New York Harbor using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) atmospheric model and the Coupled-Ocean-Atmosphere-Wave- Sediment Transport/Regional Ocean Modeling System (COAWST/ROMS). We present a new technique using directional analysis to calculate and display maps of a coastline's potential for storm surge; these maps are constructed from wind fields blowing from eight fixed compass directions. This analysis approximates the surge observed during Hurricane Sandy. The directional analysis is then applied to surge events at Charleston, South Carolina, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Tacloban City, the Philippines. Emergency managers could use these directional maps to prepare their cities for an approaching storm, on planning horizons from days to years.

  12. Projected changes of the low-latitude north-western Pacific wind-driven circulation under global warming

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Duan, Jing; Chen, Zhaohui; Wu, Lixin

    2017-05-01

    Based on the outputs of 25 models participating in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5, the projected changes of the wind-driven circulation in the low-latitude north-western Pacific are evaluated. Results demonstrate that there will be a decrease in the mean transport of the North Equatorial Current (NEC), Mindanao Current, and Kuroshio Current in the east of the Philippines, accompanied by a northward shift of the NEC bifurcation Latitude (NBL) off the Philippine coast with over 30% increase in its seasonal south-north migration amplitude. Numerical simulations using a 1.5-layer nonlinear reduced-gravity ocean model show that the projected changes of the upper ocean circulation are predominantly determined by the robust weakening of the north-easterly trade winds and the associated wind stress curl under the El Niño-like warming pattern. The changes in the wind forcing and intensified upper ocean stratification are found equally important in amplifying the seasonal migration of the NBL.

  13. Geology of Saipan, Mariana Islands; Part 1, General geology

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cloud, Preston E.; Schmidt, Robert George; Burke, Harold W.

    1956-01-01

    Saipan, situated about 15° N. and 146° E., is one of the larger and more southerly of the Mariana Islands. The 15 small islands of this chain are strung along an eastwardly convex ridge for more than 400 miles north to south, midway between Honshu and New Guinea and about 1,200 miles east of the Philippines. Paralleling this ridge 60 to 100 miles further east is a deep submarine trench, beyond which lies the Pacific Basin proper. To the west is the Philippine Sea, generally deeper than 2,000 fathoms. The trench coincides with a zone of negative gravity anomalies, earthquake foci occur at increasing depths westward from it, and silica- and alumina-rich volcanic rocks characterize the emergent island chain itself. The contrast between these features and those of the Pacific Basin proper to the east is held to favor the conclusion that the Mariana island arc and trench define the structural and petrographic front of Asia

  14. Correction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    1996-04-01

    Fallout of volcanic ash to the deep South China Sea induced by the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo (Philippines): Correction Geology, v. 23, p. 885 888 (October 1995) On p. 885, the last sentence of the Introduction should be: Here we report the first in situ record of a submarine fallout of volcanic ash following one of the largest magnitude subaerial eruptions of this century, the June 15, 1991, paroxysmal explosion of Mount Pinatubo (lat 15.148, long 120.358) in the Philippines. The first sentence under the head SUBMARINE FALLOUT MONITORING AND COMPOSITION should be: Fallout of Pinatubo tephra was recorded by fully automated collection devices (sediment traps) moored in 1190 and 3730 m water depth at 14.608N, 115.108E (Fig. 1). On p. 886, center column, the second sentence under the head LINKS TO SUBAERIAL ASH-PLUME MOVEMENT should be: Ash was ejected to a maximum altitude of 35 40 km, and at about14:20 the cloud spread out laterally into a giant umbrella region between 25 and 30 km altitude.

  15. Shuttle Earth Views, 1994. Part 3

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1995-01-01

    In this third part of a four-part video compilation of Space Shuttle Earth views, various geographical areas are shown, including both land and water masses. The views cover South America, Asia (North Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Java, various islands, Burma, Philippines, Taiwan, Guam), New Guinea, Australia, Morocco, Southern Europe (Spain, Portugal, Algeria, Italy, Sicily, Greece, Former Republic of Yugoslavia, Tunisia), and parts of the Middle East (Libya, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Sinai, Cyprus, Lebanon, Iraq), the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Mediterranean, Dead, Coral, Tyrrhenian, Adriatic, Ionian, Red, South China, Mindanao, Arafura, Sulu, Java, and China Seas. Each film clip has a heading that names the shuttle and the geographical location of the footage.

  16. Transnational migration, changing care arrangements and left-behind children's responses in South-east Asia

    PubMed Central

    Hoang, Lan Anh; Lam, Theodora; Yeoh, Brenda S.A.; Graham, Elspeth

    2015-01-01

    Recent increases in the volume of labour migration from South-east Asia – and in particular the feminisation of these movements – suggest that millions of children are growing up in transnational families, separated from their migrant parents. Drawing on both quantitative and qualitative data collected in Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, the study seeks to elucidate care arrangements for left-behind children and to understand the ways in which children respond to shifts in intimate family relations brought about by (re)configurations of their care. Our findings emphasise that children, through strategies of resistance, resilience and reworking, are conscious social actors and agents of their own development, albeit within constrained situations resulting from their parents’ migration. PMID:27134570

  17. Tectonic structure and petroleum potential of TayabasBay southeast Luzon, Philippines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bacud, Jaime; Moore, Aidan; Lee, Chao-Skiing

    Tayabas Bay is one of four offshore Philippine areas where the Australian GeologicalSurvey Organization and the Philippine Department of Energy conducted a cooperative marine seismic, gravity, magnetic, bathymetry and geochemical survey. The project acquired new seismic data and reprocessed the 1983 World Bank seismic sections which were all integrated with previous oil company data. the absence of wells drilled offshore, interpretation of offshore seismic data was complemented by onshore well log information and stratigraphy of the Bondoc Peninsula. Geochemistry data, both offshore and onshore, were analyzed to confirm the presence of mature source rocks and hydrocarbon migration. A new seismic interpretation has revealed the structure of this tectonically active geologically complex area. A major structural feature interpreted in offshore Tayabas Bay was a N-NW-trending strike-slip fault which is believed to be a northern splay of the Sibuyan Sea Fault. The authors named this fault the Tayabas Bay Fault and due to its association with the Philippine Fault System the movement is assumed to be left-lateral. The present study suggested the presence of a prolific source rock in the Middle Miocene Vigo Formation and/or the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene Panaon Limestone. Oil and gas generation have been and are occurring in the Bondoc Sub-basin. Two groups of reservoirs were identified, the shelf carbonates beneath the Middle Miocene shales on the Marinduque Platform and the early Middle Miocene carbonates and basin-floor clastics near the base of the Vigo Formation. Carbonate reservoirs are believed to be present in traps formed when the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene carbonate reefs and shelf deposits of the Panaon Limestone were buried by the Middle Miocene shales. A later set of traps was formed and possibly superimposed by the intense deformation associated with the Philippine Fault System which has continued from the Late Pliocene up to the present. Evaluation for hydrocarbon reserves of several possible traps identified three significant leads, namely the Yuni Lead in the south, the Mulanay in the central area and the Mabio in the North.

  18. The Nd-, Sr- and Pb-isotopic character of lavas from Taal, Laguna de Bay and Arayat volcanoes, southwestern Luzon, Philippines: Implications for arc magma petrogenesis

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mukasa, S.B.; Flower, M.F.J.; Miklius, Asta

    1994-01-01

    Following the amalgamation of a collage of pre-Neogene terranes largely by strike-slip and convergence mechanisms to form the Philippine islands, volcanic chains, related to oppositely dipping subduction zones, developed along the eastern and western margins of the archipelago. There is ample field evidence that this volcanic activity, predominantly calc-alkaline in chemical character, had commenced by the Oligocene. Volcanoes resulting from subduction along the Manila-Negros trench in the west (e.g. Taal, Laguna de Bay and Arayat) form a high-angle linear array, trending away from the MORE field on Pb-isotopic covariation diagrams; have the highest Sr- and lowest Nd-isotopic compositions, of the two chains (but nevertheless plotting above bulk earth on the 87Sr/86Sr versus 143Nd/144Nd covariation diagram); and exhibit Sm/Nd and Rb/Sr values that are lower and higher, respectively, than the estimated values for bulk earth. While the Sm/Nd and Rb/Sr characteristics are common to both chains, volcanoes associated with the Philippine-East Luzon trench have Pb-isotopic compositions that fall in the Indian Ocean MORB field and that require time-integrated evolution in a high Th/U environment. They also have higher Nd- and lower Sr-isotopic ratios. The source materials of Philippine volcanoes, therefore, have undergone varied recent enrichments in LILE, as indicated by the decoupling of isotopic and elemental ratios. These enrichments, particularly for the western volcanoes, cannot be entirely due to small degrees of partial melting in the mantle wedge, considering that they were accompanied by elevations in radiogenic Pb. Elevated Pb ratios are best explained by the introduction of subducted, continentally derived sediments. The sedimentary component in the western volcanoes is probably the South China Sea sediments derived largely from Eurasia. That this component is not available in the Philippine-East Luzon trench is reflected by the fact that the eastern volcanoes have higher Nd- and lower Sr-isotopic ratios as well as less radiogenic common Pb. ?? 1994.

  19. 77 FR 65713 - Certain Optoelectronic Devices for Fiber Optic Communications, Components Thereof, and Products...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-10-30

    ..., as amended, 19 U.S.C. 1337, on behalf of Avago Technologies Fiber IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. of Singapore; Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. of Singapore; and Avago Technologies U.S. Inc... Technologies Fiber IP, (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., 1 Yishun Avenue 7, Singapore 768923. Avago Technologies General...

  20. BG J. Franklin Bell and the Practice of Operational Art in the Philippines, 1901-1902

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-12-01

    direction sequentially: I expect to first clean out the wide Loboo Peninsula south of Batangas, Tiasan, and San Juan de Boc road. I shall then move...in the vicinity of San Pablo, Alaminos, Tanauan, and Santo Tomas will be scoured, ending at Mount Maquiling, which will then be thoroughly searched...on Samar 1901-1902." Army History, Spring 2011: 31-46. Clausewitz, Carl von. On War. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1989. De Toy

  1. Band of Brothers or Dysfunctional Family? A Military Perspective on Coalition Challenges During Stability Operations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-01-01

    vehicle LCT landing craft, tank LO liaison officer LOO line of operation MIS Military Intelligence Service MND (SE) Multi-National Division South East...23, 2000. Their units then fell under the command of the peace- keeping force (PKF) commander, Lt Gen Jaime de los Santos of the Philippines, who was...rather than instantaneous transition of responsibility between his command and the PKF. He suggested to General de los Santos that the UNTAET staff

  2. Impact of macro-level socio-economic factors on rising suicide rates in South Korea: panel-data analysis in East Asia.

    PubMed

    Hong, Jihyung; Knapp, Martin

    2014-12-01

    The rapid increase in suicide rates in South Korea, particularly in the aftermath of the Asian economic crisis in the late 1990s, compares with the declining suicide rates observed in most other OECD countries over the same period. This study aimed to examine an array of macro-level societal factors that might have contributed to the rising suicide trend in South Korea. We first investigated whether this trend was unique to South Korea, or ubiquitous across five Asian countries/areas that are geographically and culturally similar (South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan), using WHO mortality data and national statistics (1980-2009). Age-standardised suicide rates (per 100,000 population) were calculated for each gender and age group (15-24, 25-44, 45-64, and 65+) for each country. Both panel data and country-specific time-series analyses were employed to investigate the impact of economic change and social integration/regulation on suicide. Despite similarities in geography and culture, the rising trend of suicide rates was unique to South Korea. This atypical trend was most apparent for people aged 65 and over, which was in sharp contrast to the decreasing suicide trends observed in the other four Asian countries. The results of the panel data analyses generally pointed to a negative relationship between economic growth and suicide rates, particularly for working-aged people. The results of the time-series analyses further suggested that low levels of social integration, as indicated by rising divorce rates, may also have a role in rising suicide rates in South Korea, particularly for older people. Furthermore, the association between suicide rates and economic adversity (unemployment and economic downturn) was most salient among middle-aged men in South Korea. Compared to four other East Asian countries/areas (Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan), South Korea has uniquely experienced a rising trend of suicide rates over the past three decades, particularly among older people. The findings highlight the differential associations between social changes and suicide rates at various stages over a person's life course. Low levels of social integration and economic adversity may in part explain the atypical suicide trend in South Korea, especially for older people and middle-aged men, respectively. Data constraints, however, limit the scope for explanation in light of the complex and multifactorial causes of suicide. Different age groups within the population require different policy interventions to curb the unprecedented rise in suicide rates in South Korea. Particularly for older people, there is a great need to strengthen methods of assisting family support as well as formulating models of social care that are financially-sustainable and culturally sensitive. More investment is also needed to strengthen labour market protection and/or expand social safety net for the unemployed. The link between social integration and suicide rates deserves further empirical investigation, so that mediating factors that are amenable to policy actions can be better identified.

  3. Biopharmaceutical innovation and industrial developments in South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Hsieh, Chee-Ruey; Löfgren, Hans

    2009-05-01

    South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan are well known as export-oriented developmental states which for decades employed industrial policy to target particular industries for government support. In the past fifteen years, these three countries all identified the biopharmaceutical industry as a strategic sector. This article explores, through economic analysis, the rationale for this decision and the strategies chosen for linking into the global bio-economy with the objective of catching up in biopharmaceuticals. The paper identifies three comparative advantages enjoyed by these countries in the biopharma sector: (1) public investments in basic research; (2) private investments in phase 1 clinical trials; and (3) a potentially significant contract research industry managing latter-stage clinical trials. Governments employ a range of industrial policies, consistent with these comparative advantages, to promote the biopharmaceutical industry, including public investment in biomedical hubs, research funding and research and development (R&D) tax credits. We argue that the most important feature of the biopharmaceutical industry in these countries is the dominant role of the public sector. That these countries have made progress in innovative capabilities is illustrated by input measures such as R&D expenditure as share of gross domestic product, number of patents granted and clinical trials, and volume of foreign direct investment. In contrast, output indicators such as approval of new chemical entities suggest that the process of catching up has only just commenced. Pharmaceutical innovation is at the stage of mainly generating inputs to integrated processes controlled by the globally incumbent firms.

  4. A comparison of factors associated with physical inactivity among East Asian college students.

    PubMed

    Seo, Dong-Chul; Torabi, Mohammad R; Chin, Ming Kai; Huang, Sen Fang; Chen, Chee Keong; Mok, Magdalena Mo Ching; Wong, Patricia; Chia, Michael; Lee, Chung Gun; Wang, Chunyun

    2012-09-01

    Little is known on the level of physical inactivity and its behavioral and cultural correlates among East Asian college students. The aim of this study is to examine and compare the level and behavioral and cultural correlates of physical inactivity among college students in Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia. Data were collected from a representative sample of college students (N = 12,137) in five East Asian economies during the 2008-2009 academic year. The stratified random sampling (stratum: geographic region) was used to select participating institutions. The overall response rate was 77%. The percentage of physically inactive students was 7.2% for Singapore, 8.0% for Malaysia, 13.5% for Taiwan, 16.8% for Hong Kong, and 28.5% for South Korea. When gender, age, and body mass index were controlled, fruit and vegetable consumptions were significant correlates for physical inactivity across all the five economies. In Hong Kong, Korea, and Taiwan, those who engaged in binge drinking at least once during the past 2 weeks were less likely to be physically inactive than those who did not. Religion and military experience did not independently predict physical inactivity in any of the five economies. Physical inactivity varies greatly across different economies in East Asia that are usually grouped together and considered a single homogeneous entity by some researchers. However, in terms of correlates of physical inactivity, findings of the current study indicate that the transversal value of physical activity might be transformed into a universal.

  5. 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.

  6. Towards canine rabies elimination: Economic comparisons of three project sites.

    PubMed

    Elser, J L; Hatch, B G; Taylor, L H; Nel, L H; Shwiff, S A

    2018-02-01

    An appreciation of the costs of implementing canine rabies control in different settings is important for those planning new or expanded interventions. Here we compare the costs of three canine rabies control projects in South Africa, the Philippines and Tanzania to identify factors that influence the overall costs of rabies control efforts. There was considerable variation in the cost of vaccinating each dog, but across the sites these were lower where population density was higher, and later in the projects when dog vaccination coverage was increased. Transportation costs comprised a much higher proportion of total costs in rural areas and where house-to-house vaccination campaigns were necessary. The association between the cost of providing PEP and human population density was less clear. The presence of a pre-existing national rabies management programme had a marked effect on keeping infrastructure and equipment costs for the project low. Finally, the proportion of the total costs of the project provided by the external donor was found to be low for the projects in the Philippines and South Africa, but likely covered close to the complete costs of the project in Tanzania. The detailed economic evaluation of three recent large-scale rabies control pilot projects provides the opportunity to examine economic costs across these different settings and to identify factors influencing rabies control costs that could be applied to future projects. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  7. International data collection and analysis. Task 1

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

    Not Available

    1979-04-01

    Commercial nuclear power has grown to the point where 13 nations now operate commercial nuclear power plants. Another four countries should join this list before the end of 1980. In the Nonproliferation Alternative Systems Assessment Program (NASAP), the US DOE is evaluating a series of alternate possible power systems. The objective is to determine practical nuclear systems which could reduce proliferation risk while still maintaining the benefits of nuclear power. Part of that effort is the development of a data base denoting the energy needs, resources, technical capabilities, commitment to nuclear power, and projected future trends for various non-US countries.more » The data are presented by country for each of 28 non-US countries. This volume contains compiled data on Mexico, Netherlands, Pakistan, Philippines, South Africa, South Korea, and Spain.« less

  8. Resilience and Well-Being Among Children of Migrant Parents in South-East Asia

    PubMed Central

    Jordan, Lucy P; Graham, Elspeth

    2012-01-01

    There has been little systematic empirical research on the well-being of children in transnational households in South-East Asia—a major sending region for contract migrants. This study uses survey data collected in 2008 from children aged 9, 10, and 11 and their caregivers in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam (N = 1,498). Results indicate that while children of migrant parents, especially migrant mothers, are less likely to be happy compared to children in nonmigrant households, greater resilience in child well-being is associated to longer durations of maternal absence. There is no evidence for a direct parental migration effect on school enjoyment and performance. The analyses highlight the sensitivity of results to the dimension of child well-being measured and who makes the assessment. PMID:22966930

  9. A Configuration Framework and Implementation for the Least Privilege Separation Kernel

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-12-01

    The Altova Web site states that virtualization software, Parallels for Mac and Wine , is required for running it on MacOS and RedHat Linux...University of Singapore Singapore 28. Tan Lai Poh National University of Singapore Singapore 29. Quek Chee Luan Defence Science & Technology Agency Singapore

  10. Representation of Nonstationary Narrowband Random Processes and Their Application and Effectiveness as Jamming Signals in Spread Spectrum Communication Systems.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-03-01

    of Defense, Singapore COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION PAYA LEBAR AIRPORT SINGAPORE 1953 Republic of Singapore 7. Mr. Low Kah Meng 2 Blk. 6, #04-168 REDHILL CLOSE Singapore 0315 Republic of Singapore 90 - *I r - -: :’I ’’ I 𔃻

  11. Prehospital Trauma Care in Singapore.

    PubMed

    Ho, Andrew Fu Wah; Chew, David; Wong, Ting Hway; Ng, Yih Yng; Pek, Pin Pin; Lim, Swee Han; Anantharaman, Venkataraman; Hock Ong, Marcus Eng

    2015-01-01

    Prehospital emergency care in Singapore has taken shape over almost a century. What began as a hospital-based ambulance service intended to ferry medical cases was later complemented by an ambulance service under the Singapore Fire Brigade to transport trauma cases. The two ambulance services would later combine and come under the Singapore Civil Defence Force. The development of prehospital care systems in island city-state Singapore faces unique challenges as a result of its land area and population density. This article defines aspects of prehospital trauma care in Singapore. It outlines key historical milestones and current initiatives in service, training, and research. It makes propositions for the future direction of trauma care in Singapore. The progress Singapore has made given her circumstances may serve as lessons for the future development of prehospital trauma systems in similar environments. Key words: Singapore; trauma; prehospital emergency care; emergency medical services.

  12. A new species and new record of the commensal genus Alcyonosyllis Glasby & Watson, 2001 and a new species of Parahaplosyllis Hartmann-Schröder, 1990, (Annelida: Syllidae: Syllinae) from Philippines Islands.

    PubMed

    Alvarez-Campos, Patricia; Martín, Guillermo San; Aguado, M Teresa

    2013-11-16

    A new species of Alcyonosyllis (Annelida: Syllidae), A. aidae n.sp. is described from Luzón island, Philippines, associated with the alcyonacean Dendronephthya sp. (Nephthydae). This is the sixth known species of this genus living in the Indo-Pacific region. The new species differs from other Alcyonosyllis in having long and slender cirri with the first pair of dorsal cirri slightly thicker than remaining, bidentate chaetae with distal tooth larger than proximal one, and a distinct colour pattern, with a median longitudinal, slender reddish line, and two wider lateral bands, giving a tri-lineate appearance. A new report of the recently described species, A. hinterkircheri, previously known only from an area close to Bohol, in Philippines, is also included, being the first report of this species in Luzón Island. A new species of the genus Parahaplosyllis Hartmann-Schröder, 1990, is also described. Up to now, only the type species of the genus was known, from New South Wales, Australia; this is the second known species of this genus. It differs from P. brevicirra Hartmann-Schröder, 1990 by having unidentate dorsal simple chaetae (instead of bidentate ones as in P. brevicirra), ventral simple chaeta with shorter and less curved basal spur, more distinctly articulated dorsal cirri, with a long distal article, and a shorter proventricle. Finally, new different types of stolons are described for both genera.

  13. Complete mtDNA genomes of Filipino ethnolinguistic groups: a melting pot of recent and ancient lineages in the Asia-Pacific region

    PubMed Central

    Delfin, Frederick; Min-Shan Ko, Albert; Li, Mingkun; Gunnarsdóttir, Ellen D; Tabbada, Kristina A; Salvador, Jazelyn M; Calacal, Gayvelline C; Sagum, Minerva S; Datar, Francisco A; Padilla, Sabino G; De Ungria, Maria Corazon A; Stoneking, Mark

    2014-01-01

    The Philippines is a strategic point in the Asia-Pacific region for the study of human diversity, history and origins, as it is a cross-road for human migrations and consequently exhibits enormous ethnolinguistic diversity. Following on a previous in-depth study of Y-chromosome variation, here we provide new insights into the maternal genetic history of Filipino ethnolinguistic groups by surveying complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genomes from a total of 14 groups (11 groups in this study and 3 groups previously published) including previously published mtDNA hypervariable segment (HVS) data from Filipino regional center groups. Comparison of HVS data indicate genetic differences between ethnolinguistic and regional center groups. The complete mtDNA genomes of 14 ethnolinguistic groups reveal genetic aspects consistent with the Y-chromosome, namely: diversity and heterogeneity of groups, no support for a simple dichotomy between Negrito and non-Negrito groups, and different genetic affinities with Asia-Pacific groups that are both ancient and recent. Although some mtDNA haplogroups can be associated with the Austronesian expansion, there are others that associate with South Asia, Near Oceania and Australia that are consistent with a southern migration route for ethnolinguistic group ancestors into the Asia-Pacific, with a timeline that overlaps with the initial colonization of the Asia-Pacific region, the initial colonization of the Philippines and a possible separate post-colonization migration into the Philippine archipelago. PMID:23756438

  14. Propagation of Intra-Seasonal Tropical Oscillations (PISTON)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moum, J. N.

    2017-12-01

    During monsoon season over the South China Sea and Philippines, weather varies on the subseasonal time scale. Disturbances of the "boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation" (BSISO) move north and east across the region over periods of weeks. These disturbances are strongly conditioned by the complex geography of the region. The diurnal cycle in convection over islands and adjacent coastal seas is strong. Air-sea interaction is modulated by ocean stratification and local circulation patterns that are themselves complex and diurnally varying. The multiple pathways and space-time scales in the regional ocean-atmosphere-land system make prediction on subseasonal to seasonal time scales challenging. The PISTON field campaign targets the west coast of Luzon in August/September 2018. It includes ship-based, moored and land-based measurements, a significant modeling effort and coordinates with the Philippine SALICA program (Sea Air Land Interactions in the Context of Archipelagos) and the aircraft-based, NASA-funded CAMP2EX campaign (Cloud and Aerosol Monsoonal Processes-Philippines Experiment). The diurnal cycle and its interaction with the BSISO are primary targets for PISTON. Key questions are: how heat is stored and released in the upper ocean on intraseasonal time scales; how that heat storage interacts with atmospheric convection; and what role it plays in BSISO maintenance and propagation. Key processes include land-sea breezes, orographic influence on convection, river discharge to coastal oceans, gravity waves, diurnal warm layers, internal tides, and a buoyancy-driven northward coastal current. As intraseasonal disturbances approach the region, the presence of islands, with their low surface heat capacity, mountains, inhomogeneous distribution of urban/vegetation/soil, and strong diurnal cycle disrupts the air-sea heat exchange that sustains the BSISO over the ocean, confounding prediction models in which these processes are inadequately represented. Along with upscale influences, PISTON seeks to advance our understanding of how large scale atmospheric circulation variability over the South China Sea, related to the monsoon, BSISO, and convectively coupled waves, modifies the local diurnal cycle, synoptic systems, and air sea interaction in coastal regions and nearby open seas.

  15. Haiyan After Moving Through the Philippines

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-11-12

    On Nov. 9 at 05:55 UTC/12:55 a.m. EDT, Typhoon Haiyan was in the middle of the South China Sea, headed toward Vietnam. Credit: NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

  16. South East Asia, Differing Socioeconomic Factors, Differing Access to Radiotherapy: The Philippines, a Microcosm.

    PubMed

    Calaguas, Miriam Joy C; Gubat, Johannes A

    2017-04-01

    The accessibility of radiotherapy in Southeast Asia, a region characterized by diversity in both economy and culture, differ widely among its member countries. In most countries, access is not universal and is generally limited by radiotherapy resources and the health-seeking behavior of patients. This in turn relates to the current health policy in place, the practice of radiation oncology, and cultural factors such as religion and family dynamics. Although it is clear that radiotherapy access parallel economic development, it is also affected by different social factors that work to facilitate or impede its improvement. These factors are herein described in relation to the Philippine situation, where there is wide economic disparity, multiple subcultures, and logistical impediments to improving radiotherapy access, reminiscent of the Southeast Asian region. In the face of increasing cancer burden, it becomes increasingly important to improve services and develop new and efficient approaches taking different cultural factors into consideration. Through regional and international cooperation, solutions to the common and complex problem of inequity in radiotherapy access may be developed. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  17. Reimbursement policies in the Asia-Pacific for chronic hepatitis B.

    PubMed

    Lim, Seng Gee; Amarapurkar, Deepak N; Chan, Henry Lik-Yuen; Crawford, Darrell H; Gane, Edward J; Han, Kwang-Hyub; Ahn, Sang Hoon; Jafri, Wasim; Jia, Jidong; Kao, Jia-Horng; Lesmana, Laurentius A; Lesmana, C Rinaldi A; Mohamed, Rosmawati; Phiet, Pham Hoang; Piratvisuth, Teerha; Sarin, Shiv K; Sollarno, Jose D; Eguchi, Yuichiro; Mahtab, Mamun-Al; Lee, Keat Hong

    2015-01-01

    There is considerable variation in reimbursement policies in Asian countries and this is likely to have an impact on treatment practice for chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Consequently a survey of leading hepatologists was performed to evaluate such policies and their impact on management of CHB in the Asia Pacific region. A questionnaire was sent to key hepatologists in Asia Pacific for information on CHB reimbursement policy-its nature, coverage, funding source, duration, review strategy and impact on Asia Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) CHB guidelines. The results were analysed and described. Leading hepatologists from 16 Asia Pacific countries responded. Almost all of the countries have reimbursement policies but eligibility varied from only a limited group (e.g. civil servants only) to universal access. In most instances reimbursement was from the central government (except China, Pakistan and Hong Kong). Reimbursement policies were usually created by Ministry of Health committees, who received input from medical professionals, although they may not be aware of the APASL guidelines. Policies were limited by available resources, funds and prioritization. Where there was a regular review this occurred between 1 and 5 years. The quantum of reimbursement varied from 50% in Singapore to 100% in the majority of other countries. The criteria for treatment reimbursement were based on doctor's opinion alone (Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam) or specific clinical/laboratory criteria in the rest of the countries. In general, most countries offered unlimited duration for reimbursement except Taiwan, Indonesia and Pakistan. Monitoring tests for treatment response were reimbursed in all countries other than Vietnam. Viral resistance was diagnosed by viral or biochemical breakthrough, and viral resistance testing was uncommon. The main rescue therapy was adefovir. Reimbursement policies differed from country to country, the quantum and the proportion of patients who received reimbursement also varied significantly. Asia Pacific countries were able to follow APASL guidelines with variable success based on their reimbursement policies.

  18. Sea Level Trend and Variability in the Straits of Singapore and Malacca

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luu, Q.; Tkalich, P.

    2013-12-01

    The Straits of Singapore and Malacca (SSM) connect the Andaman Sea located northeast of the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea, the largest marginal sea situated in the tropical Pacific Ocean. Consequently, sea level in the SSM is assumed to be governed by various regional phenomena associated with the adjacent parts of Indian and Pacific Oceans. At annual scale sea level variability is dominant by the Asian monsoon. Interannual sea level signals are modulated by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). In the long term, regional sea level is driven by the global climate change. However, relative impacts of these multi-scale phenomena on regional sea level in the SSM are yet to be quantified. In present study, publicly available tide gauge records and satellite altimetry data are used to derive long-term sea level trend and variability in SSM. We used the data from research-quality stations, including four located in the Singapore Strait (Tanjong Pagar, Raffles Lighthouse, Sultan Shoal and Sembawang) and seven situated in the Malacca Strait (Kelang, Keling, Kukup, Langkawji, Lumut, Penang and Ko Taphao Noi), each one having 25-39 year data up to the year 2011. Harmonic analysis is performed to filter out astronomic tides from the tide gauge records when necessary; and missing data are reconstructed using identified relationships between sea level and the governing phenomena. The obtained sea level anomalies (SLAs) and reconstructed mean sea level are then validated against satellite altimetry data from AVISO. At multi-decadal scale, annual measured sea level in the SSM is varying with global mean sea level, rising for the period 1984-2009 at the rate 1.8-2.3 mm/year in the Singapore Strait and 1.1-2.8 mm/year in the Malacca Strait. Interannual regional sea level drops are associated with El Niño events, while the rises are correlated with La Niña episodes; both variations are in the range of ×5 cm with correlation coefficient of -0.7 (in correspondence with the Multivariate ENSO Index). The IOD modulates interannual sea level variability only in the Malacca Strait in the range of ×3 cm with a correlation coefficient of -0.6 (with respect to the Dipole Mode Index). At annual scale, SLAs in the SSM are mainly monsoon-driven; of the order of 20 cm. Mean sea level in the Singapore Strait reach the peak during northeast monsoon and trough during southwest monsoon; while these in the Malacca Strait are highest at middle of both monsoons and lowest during their transitional monsoonal seasons. Global and regional signals are quantitatively captured in the SSM. In comparison with the global sea level trends, SSM sea level rise are larger for recent decades 1984-2009. Taking into account the rough estimate of land subsidence rates in Singapore (2006-2011) and Peninsular Malaysia (1994-2004), the trend of absolute sea level rise in SSM follows regional tendency. At interannual scale, ENSO modulates sea level variabilities in the entire SSM region, while IOD affects the Malacca Strait only. At annual scale, sea level responds differently to the Asian monsoon: quasi-periodic cycles are observed twice a year in the Malacca Strait, but once a year in the Singapore Strait. Such behavior implies that the narrow channel constriction between the Singapore and Malacca Straits may be a reason of different variability of sea level in the domains.

  19. Evaluation of internet search trends of some common oral problems, 2004 to 2014.

    PubMed

    Harorli, O T; Harorli, H

    2014-09-01

    Internet search trend volumes can provide free, fast and pertinent information about peoples' online interests. No study has yet been conducted on internet search trends in dentistry. This study aims to investigate ten years' data on internet search volumes regarding some oral problems: "toothache", "tooth decay", "gum disease", "wisdom teeth" and "oral cancer". The study also aims to investigate the most common geographic search locations and to examine related searches. Worldwide intermet search trend data over a period of 532 weeks (4 January 2004 and 15 March 2014) retrieved from the Google Trends web site was interrogated for each search term to identify search trends, regional interests, and related searches. The search volumes for the terms "toothache "and "wisdom teeth" increased over the decade while "tooth decay", "gum disease", and "oral cancer" showed slight changes. Each term was most commonly searched in different counties: "toothache", Philippines; "tooth decay", Singapore; "Gum Disease", Ireland; "Wisdom Teeth", United States; and "Oral cancer", India. Related searches were mainly focused on symptoms and remedies of these problems. Regional and time-related variations in search volumes may provide dental professionals with readily- and freely-available pertinent information on populations' internet searches regarding dental complaints.

  20. Aftermarket Performance of Health Care and Biopharmaceutical IPOs: Evidence From ASEAN Countries

    PubMed Central

    Komenkul, Kulabutr; Kiranand, Santi

    2017-01-01

    We examine the evidence from the long-run abnormal returns using data for 76 health care and biopharmaceutical initial public offerings (IPOs) listed in a 29-year period between 1986 and 2014 in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Laos. Based on the event-time approach, the 3-year stock returns of the IPOs are investigated using cumulative abnormal return (CAR) and buy-and-hold abnormal return (BHAR). As a robustness check, the calendar-time approach, related to the market model as well as Fama-French and Carhart models, was applied for verifying long-run abnormal returns. We found evidence that the health care IPOs overperform in the long-run, irrespective of the alternative benchmarks and methods. In addition, when we divide our sample into 5 groups by listing countries, our results show that the health care stock prices of the Singaporean firms behaved differently from those of most of the other firms in ASEAN. The Singaporean IPOs are characterized by a worse post-offering performance, whereas the IPOs of Malaysian and Thai health care companies performed better in the long-run. PMID:28853306

  1. Health claims on food products in Southeast Asia: regulatory frameworks, barriers, and opportunities.

    PubMed

    Tan, Karin Y M; van der Beek, Eline M; Chan, M Y; Zhao, Xuejun; Stevenson, Leo

    2015-09-01

    The Association of Southeast Asian Nations aims to act as a single market and allow free movement of goods, services, and manpower. The purpose of this article is to present an overview of the current regulatory framework for health claims in Southeast Asia and to highlight the current barriers and opportunities in the regulatory frameworks in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. To date, 5 countries in Southeast Asia, i.e., Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, have regulations and guidelines to permit the use of health claims on food products. There are inconsistencies in the regulations and the types of evidence required for health claim applications in these countries. A clear understanding of the regulatory frameworks in these countries may help to increase trade in this fast-growing region and to provide direction for the food industry and the regulatory community to develop and market food products with better nutritional quality tailored to the needs of Southeast Asian consumers. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  2. Aftermarket Performance of Health Care and Biopharmaceutical IPOs: Evidence From ASEAN Countries.

    PubMed

    Komenkul, Kulabutr; Kiranand, Santi

    2017-01-01

    We examine the evidence from the long-run abnormal returns using data for 76 health care and biopharmaceutical initial public offerings (IPOs) listed in a 29-year period between 1986 and 2014 in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Laos. Based on the event-time approach, the 3-year stock returns of the IPOs are investigated using cumulative abnormal return (CAR) and buy-and-hold abnormal return (BHAR). As a robustness check, the calendar-time approach, related to the market model as well as Fama-French and Carhart models, was applied for verifying long-run abnormal returns. We found evidence that the health care IPOs overperform in the long-run, irrespective of the alternative benchmarks and methods. In addition, when we divide our sample into 5 groups by listing countries, our results show that the health care stock prices of the Singaporean firms behaved differently from those of most of the other firms in ASEAN. The Singaporean IPOs are characterized by a worse post-offering performance, whereas the IPOs of Malaysian and Thai health care companies performed better in the long-run.

  3. Prevalence and Incidence of Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Other Respiratory Viral Infections in Children Aged 6 Months to 10 Years With Influenza-like Illness Enrolled in a Randomized Trial

    PubMed Central

    Nolan, Terry; Borja-Tabora, Charissa; Lopez, Pio; Weckx, Lily; Ulloa-Gutierrez, Rolando; Lazcano-Ponce, Eduardo; Kerdpanich, Angkool; Weber, Miguel Angel Rodriguez; Mascareñas de Los Santos, Abiel; Tinoco, Juan-Carlos; Safadi, Marco Aurelio P.; Seng, Lim Fong; Hernandez-de Mezerville, Marcela; Faingezicht, Idis; Cruz-Valdez, Aurelio; Feng, Yang; Li, Ping; Durviaux, Serge; Haars, Gerco; Roy-Ghanta, Sumita; Vaughn, David W.; Taylor, Sylvia

    2015-01-01

    Background. The high burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-associated morbidity and mortality makes vaccine development a priority. Methods. As part of an efficacy trial of pandemic influenza vaccines (NCT01051661), RSV epidemiology in healthy children aged 6 months to <10 years at first vaccination with influenza-like illness (ILI) was evaluated in Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand between February 2010 and August 2011. Active surveillance for ILI was conducted for approximately 1 year, with nasal and throat swabs analyzed by polymerase chain reaction. The prevalence and incidence of RSV among ILI episodes were calculated. Results. A total of 6266 children were included, of whom 2421 experienced 3717 ILI episodes with a respiratory sample available. RSV was detected for 359 ILI episodes, a prevalence of 9.7% (95% confidence interval: 8.7–10.7). The highest prevalence was in children aged 12–23 or 24–35 months in all countries except the Philippines, where it was in children aged 6–11 months. The incidence of RSV-associated ILI was 7.0 (6.3–7.7) per 100 person-years (PY). Eighty-eight ILI episodes resulted in hospitalization, of which 8 were associated with RSV (prevalence 9.1% [4.0–17.1]; incidence 0.2 [0.1–0.3] per 100 PY). The incidence of RSV-associated ILI resulting in medical attendance was 6.0 (5.4–6.7) per 100 PY. RSV B subtypes were observed more frequently than A subtypes. Conclusions. Active surveillance demonstrated the considerable burden of RSV-associated illness that would not be identified through hospital-based surveillance, with a substantial part of the burden occurring in older infants and children. PMID:25673560

  4. 38 CFR 17.367 - Republic of the Philippines to print forms.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... Philippines to print forms. 17.367 Section 17.367 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL Grants to the Republic of the Philippines § 17.367 Republic of the Philippines to print forms. The Secretary of National Defense of the Republic of the Philippines will, with the...

  5. 38 CFR 17.367 - Republic of the Philippines to print forms.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... Philippines to print forms. 17.367 Section 17.367 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL Grants to the Republic of the Philippines § 17.367 Republic of the Philippines to print forms. The Secretary of National Defense of the Republic of the Philippines will, with the...

  6. 38 CFR 17.367 - Republic of the Philippines to print forms.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... Philippines to print forms. 17.367 Section 17.367 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL Grants to the Republic of the Philippines § 17.367 Republic of the Philippines to print forms. The Secretary of National Defense of the Republic of the Philippines will, with the...

  7. 38 CFR 17.367 - Republic of the Philippines to print forms.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... Philippines to print forms. 17.367 Section 17.367 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL Grants to the Republic of the Philippines § 17.367 Republic of the Philippines to print forms. The Secretary of National Defense of the Republic of the Philippines will, with the...

  8. 38 CFR 17.367 - Republic of the Philippines to print forms.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... Philippines to print forms. 17.367 Section 17.367 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL Grants to the Republic of the Philippines § 17.367 Republic of the Philippines to print forms. The Secretary of National Defense of the Republic of the Philippines will, with the...

  9. Study Shows Philippine Power System Can Achieve 30% and 50% Renewable

    Science.gov Websites

    Energy by 2030 | News | NREL Study Shows Philippine Power System Can Achieve 30% and 50 % Renewable Energy by 2030 Study Shows Philippine Power System Can Achieve 30% and 50% Renewable Energy by of the Philippines (NGCP), and the Philippine Electricity Market Association produced the study

  10. Philippine Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine emergency basic relief and medical aid mission project (November 2013-February 2014): the role of physiatrists in Super Typhoon Haiyan.

    PubMed

    Ganchoon, Filipinas; Bugho, Rommel; Calina, Liezel; Dy, Rochelle; Gosney, James

    2017-06-09

    Physiatrists have provided humanitarian assistance in recent large-scale global natural disasters. Super Typhoon Haiyan, the deadliest and most costly typhoon in modern Philippine history, made landfall on 8 November 2013 resulting in significant humanitarian needs. Philippine Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine physiatrists conducted a project of 23 emergency basic relief and medical aid missions in response to Super Typhoon Haiyan from November 2013 to February 2014. The final mission was a medical aid mission to the inland rural community of Burauen, Leyte. Summary data were collected, collated, and tabulated; project and mission evaluation was performed. During the humanitarian assistance project, 31,254 basic relief kits containing a variety of food and non-food items were distributed and medical services including consultation, treatment, and medicines were provided to 7255 patients. Of the 344 conditions evaluated in the medical aid mission to Burauen, Leyte 85 (59%) were physical and rehabilitation medicine conditions comprised of musculoskeletal (62 [73%]), neurological (17 [20%]), and dermatological (6 [7%]) diagnoses. Post-mission and project analysis resulted in recommendations and programmatic changes to strengthen response in future disasters. Physiatrists functioned as medical providers, mission team leaders, community advocates, and in other roles. This physiatrist-led humanitarian assistance project met critical basic relief and medical aid needs of persons impacted by Super Typhoon Haiyan, demonstrating significant roles performed by physiatrists in response to a large-scale natural disaster. Resulting disaster programing changes and recommendations may inform a more effective response by PARM mission teams in the Philippines as well as by other South-Eastern Asia teams comprising rehabilitation professionals to large-scale, regional natural disasters. Implications for rehabilitation Large-scale natural disasters including tropical cyclones can have a catastrophic impact on the affected population. In response to Super Typhoon Haiyan, physiatrists representing the Philippine Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine conducted a project of 23 emergency basic relief and medical aid missions from November 2013 to February 2014. Project analysis indicates that medical mission teams responding in similar settings may expect to evaluate a significant number of physical medicine and rehabilitation conditions. Medical rehabilitation with participation by rehabilitation professionals including rehabilitation doctors is essential to the emergency medical response in large-scale natural disasters.

  11. Singapore: Background and U.S. Relations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-03-19

    Address in August 2008, Lee announced some modest liberalizing measures, including a relaxation of censorship of political films and approval of peaceful...in its success. Singapore achieved home rule in 1959 and joined with Malaya, Sabah, and Sarawak to form the Federation of Malaysia in 1963...Singapore from Malaysia . Amid serious doubts about its viability, Singapore became a separate independent nation on August 9, 1965. SINGAPORE

  12. REMOTE SENSING MEASUREMENTS OF AEROSOL OPTICAL THICKNESS AND CORRELATION WITH IN-SITU AIR QUALITY PARAMETERS DURING A SMOKE HAZE EPISODE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chew, B.; Salinas Cortijo, S. V.; Liew, S.

    2009-12-01

    Transboundary smoke haze due to biomass burning is a major environmental problem in Southeast Asia which has not only affected air quality in the source region, but also in the surrounding countries. Air quality monitoring stations and meteorological stations can provide valuable information on the concentrations of criteria pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, ozone and particulate mass (PM10) as well as health advisory to the general public during the haze episodes. Characteristics of aerosol particles in the smoke haze such as the aerosol optical thickness (AOT), aerosol size distribution and Angstrom exponent are also measured or retrieved by sun-tracking photometers, such as those deployed in the world-wide AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET). However, due to the limited spatial coverage by the air quality monitoring stations and AERONET sites, it is difficult to study and monitor the spatial and temporal variability of the smoke haze during a biomass burning episode, especially in areas without ground-based instrumentation. As such, we combine the standard in-situ measurements of PM10 by air quality monitoring stations with the remote sensing imagery from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites. The columnar AOT is first derived from the MODIS images for regions where PM10 measurements are available. Empirical correlations between AOT and PM10 measurements are then established for 50 sites in both Malaysia and Singapore during the smoke haze episode in 2006. When available, vertical feature information from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) is used to examine the validity of the correlations. Aloft transport of aerosols, which can weaken the correlations between AOT and PM10 measurements, is also identified by CALIPSO and taken into consideration for the analysis. With this integrated approach, we hope to enhance and complement current capabilities in monitoring air quality during the haze episodes in Southeast Asia. This study was completed as a preliminary analysis of the biomass burning situation in Southeast Asia under the Seven SouthEast Asian Studies (7 SEAS) Mission. Through collaborations with scientific partners in Taiwan and various Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, 7 SEAS is jointly initiated by NASA’s Radiation Science, Tropospheric Chemistry, Air Quality and Oceanography programmes as well as the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the Office of Naval Research - Global (ONRG) and the US State Department in an effort to investigate the complex interactions between aerosols (anthropogenic or natural) and meteorological systems, especially with clouds, and their impacts on air quality in the region. 7 SEAS is a multi-disciplinary regional science programme which operates with the integrative support of in-situ measurements, remote sensing and scientific modeling.

  13. 75 FR 41891 - In the Matter of Certain Optoelectronic Devices, Components Thereof, and Products Containing the...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-07-19

    ..., 2009 based on a complaint filed on February 3, 2009, by Avago Technologies Fiber IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. of Singapore; Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. of Singapore; and Avago...

  14. Travel characteristics and health practices among travellers at the travellers' health and vaccination clinic in Singapore.

    PubMed

    Lee, Vernon J; Wilder-Smith, Annelies

    2006-10-01

    Singapore has a fast-growing travel industry, but few studies have been done on travel characteristics and travel health practices. This study describes the profile and healthseeking behaviour of travellers attending a travel health clinic in Singapore. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on travellers attending the Traveller's Health and Vaccination Centre (THVC) between September and November 2002 using a standardised questionnaire. Information obtained included individual demographic and medical information, travel patterns, vaccination status and travel health practices. Four hundred and ninetyfive (74%) eligible travellers seen at THVC responded to the questionnaire. Their mean age was 36 years; 77% were professionals, managers, executives, and businessmen, students, and white collar workers. Asia was the main travel destination, and most travelled for leisure and resided in hotels or hostels. The median duration of travel was 16 days. Although >90% had previously travelled overseas, only 20% had previously sought pre-travel advice. Malays were significantly underrepresented (P < 0.01); and Caucasians and Eurasians were significantly more likely (P < 0.01) to have previously sought pre-travel advice compared with Chinese, Indians and Malays. Factors associated with seeking pre-travel advice included travel outside of Asia, especially Africa and South America. Singaporean travellers travel more often to cities rather than rural areas, compared with non-Asian travellers. Asia is the preferred destination, and travel outside of Asia is perceived as more risky and is associated with seeking pre-travel advice and vaccinations. Travel patterns and behaviours need to be taken into account when developing evidence-based travel medicine in Asia.

  15. Sociodemographic Correlates and Morbidity in Lottery Gamblers: Results from a Population Survey.

    PubMed

    Subramaniam, Mythily; Tang, Benjamin; Abdin, Edimansyah; Vaingankar, Janhavi Ajit; Picco, Louisa; Chong, Siow Ann

    2016-03-01

    The aim of the current study was to examine the socio-demographic correlates, the association of mental and physical illness, and the prevalence of pathological gambling among three groups (1) those with lottery gambling only (2) those with lottery and other types of gambling and (3) those with other types of gambling only-such as playing cards, sports betting, horse racing, casino gambling etc. Data was used from a nationwide cross-sectional epidemiological nationally representative survey of the resident (Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents) population in Singapore of 6616 Singaporean adults aged 18 years and older. All respondents were administered the South Oaks Gambling Screen to screen for pathological gambling. The diagnoses of mental disorders were established using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview and relevant socio-demographic data was collected using a structured questionnaire. Lottery gambling was by far the most popular form of gambling in Singapore, with 83.5 % of those who had ever gambled indicating that they had participated in lottery gambling. Those who participated in lottery gambling alone were more likely to belong to the older age group (as compared to the 18-35 years age group), be of Indian ethnicity, have a secondary or vocational education, and earn a lower income as compared to the other two groups. Our findings that those with pure lottery gambling were significantly less likely to be pathological gamblers and had significantly lower odds of psychiatric and physical morbidity as compared to the other two groups are unique and need further research.

  16. Health outcomes of bedaquiline in the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in selected high burden countries.

    PubMed

    Lu, Xiaoyan; Smare, Caitlin; Kambili, Chrispin; El Khoury, Antoine C; Wolfson, Lara J

    2017-01-26

    Less than one-third of patients who are estimated to be infected with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) receive MDR-TB treatment regimens, and only 48% of those who received treatment have successful outcomes. Despite current regimens, newer, more effective and cost-effective approaches to treatment are needed. The aim of the study was to project health outcomes and impact on healthcare resources of adding bedaquiline to the treatment regimen of MDR-TB in selected high burden countries: Estonia, Russia, South Africa, Peru, China, the Philippines, and India. This study adapted an existing Markov model to estimate the health outcomes and impact on total healthcare costs of adding bedaquiline to current MDR-TB treatment regimens. A price threshold analysis was conducted to determine the price range at which bedaquiline would be cost-effective. Adding bedaquiline to the background regimen (BR) resulted in increased disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) averted, and reduced total healthcare costs (excluding treatment acquisition costs) compared with BR alone in all countries analyzed. Addition of bedaquiline to BR resulted in savings to healthcare costs compared with BR alone in all countries analyzed, with the highest impact expected in Russia (US$194 million) and South Africa (US$43 million). The price per regimen at which bedaquiline would be cost-effective ranged between US$23,904-US$203,492 in Estonia, Russia, Peru, South Africa, and China (high and upper middle-income countries) and between US$6,996-US$20,323 in the Philippines and India (lower middle-income countries); however, these cost-effective prices do not necessarily address concerns about affordability. Adding bedaquiline to BR provides improvements in health outcomes and reductions in healthcare costs in high MDR-TB burden countries. The range of prices per regimen for which bedaquiline would be cost-effective varied between countries.

  17. Confidence-Building Measures in Philippine Security.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1998-05-01

    service or government agency. STRATEGY RESEARCH PROJECT i CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURES IN PHILIPPINE SECURITY BY LIEUTENANT COLONEL RAMON G...WAR COLLEGE, CARLISLE BARRACKS, PA 17013-5050 rimo*’^»®*raBl USAWC STRATEGY RESEARCH PROJECT CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURES IN PHILIPPINE...Colonel Ramon Santos, Philippine Army TITLE: Confidence-Building Measures in Philippine Security FORMAT: Strategy Research Project DATE: 1

  18. Assessment of Coastal Vulnerability to Sea Level Rise of Bolinao, Pangasinan Using Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reyes, S. R. C.; Blanco, A. C.

    2012-07-01

    A number of studies assessing the vulnerability of Southeast Asia to climate change have classified the Philippines as one of the vulnerable countries in the region. Bolinao, Pangasinan is a municipality located in northwestern Luzon, situated in the western part of the Lingayen Gulf and is bounded on the north and west by the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea). Recent studies have verified the varying trends in sea level across the South China Sea, which is considered as one of the largest, semi-enclosed marginal seas in the northwest Pacific Ocean. Three barangays (villages) were included in the study: (1) Luciente 1.0, (2) Concordia and (3) Germinal. The Socioeconomic Vulnerability Index (SVI) was computed based on population, age, gender, employment, source of income and household size, which were gathered through a qualitative survey in the selected barangays. The Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) described the physical vulnerability of these coastal communities based on recorded sea level anomalies and significant wave heights of multiple satellite altimetry missions, coastal topography derived from the 25-m SRTM digital elevation model (DEM), bathymetry from WorldView-2 and additional elevation data from terrestrial laser scanning surveys. The research utilized merged satellite altimetry data downloaded from the Radar Altimetry Database System (RADS), which covered the period from 1991-2010. The SVI and CVI were calculated and evaluated in ArcGIS. The SVI and CVI were integrated to determine the Total Vulnerability Index (TVI), which characterized the vulnerability of the three barangays in five classes, from very low to very high vulnerability.

  19. Occurrence and distribution of bacteria indicators, chemical tracers and pathogenic vibrios in Singapore coastal waters.

    PubMed

    Goh, Shin Giek; Bayen, Stéphane; Burger, David; Kelly, Barry C; Han, Ping; Babovic, Vladan; Gin, Karina Yew-Hoong

    2017-01-15

    Water quality in Singapore's coastal area was evaluated with microbial indicators, pathogenic vibrios, chemical tracers and physico-chemical parameters. Sampling sites were grouped into two clusters (coastal sites at (i) northern and (ii) southern part of Singapore). The coastal sites located at northern part of Singapore along the Johor Straits exhibited greater pollution. Principal component analysis revealed that sampling sites at Johor Straits have greater loading on carbamazepine, while turbidity poses greater influence on sampling sites at Singapore Straits. Detection of pathogenic vibrios was also more prominent at Johor Straits than the Singapore Straits. This study examined the spatial variations in Singapore's coastal water quality and provided the baseline information for health risk assessment and future pollution management. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Treatment gaps in Parkinson's disease care in the Philippines.

    PubMed

    Jamora, Roland Dominic G; Miyasaki, Janis M

    2017-08-01

    Neurological services and resources are scarce in low-income and developing countries, such as the Philippines. We looked into the treatment gaps in Parkinson's disease (PD) care in the Philippines in the following areas: epidemiology, healthcare, financial coverage, pharmacotherapy, surgical treatment and manpower. We collected relevant data on the above-mentioned areas. There is no available Philippine data on PD prevalence. Philippine healthcare is paid through user fees at the point of service. The average consultation fee in Manila ranges from US$10.57-31.74. The average minimum daily wage is US$9.39-10.17. Philippine healthcare is devolved to the local government units. Deep brain stimulation surgery is only available in Manila. Most PD medications are available in the Philippines. There are only nine movement disorder specialists for a population of 100.98 million. Gaps and challenges in PD care in the Philippines still exist.

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