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This paper presents the results of the literature review conducted for the working group topic on inflammation, infection, exposure, and the human microbiome. Infection and chronic inflammation can elevate risk for cardiovascular disease and cancer. Environmental exposures common among South Asian (SA) subgroups, such as arsenic exposure among Bangladeshis and particulate matter air pollution among taxi drivers, also pose risks. This review explores the effects of exposure to arsenic and particulate matter, as well as other infections common among SAs, including human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B/C infection. Emerging research on the human microbiome, and the effect of microbiome changes on obesity and diabetes risk among SAs are also explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The US South Asian population has grown tremendously, and is now over 2.5 million. South Asians often face tremendous cultural, socioeconomic, linguistic and structural obstacles to good health, and face staggering cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer risk. Coupled with this is a paucity of detailed data on the population's unique CVD and cancer risk profiles, etiologic mechanisms, and effective interventions to address South Asian health disparities. This data gap compelled an initiative to develop more targeted research and evidence-based practice and policy approaches. The South Asian Health Initiative (SAHI), a community based participatory research partnership between the Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Center at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer and the South Asian Council for Social Services (SACSS), and the Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute thus partnered to effect the first national South Asian translational research endeavor, South Asian Health: From Research to Practice and Policy, summarized in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerns arising out of the systemic risks associated with 'shadow banking' are inherently global in nature as a result of the interconnectedness of shadow banking activities across different jurisdictions and markets. Yet, despite ongoing efforts, it remains very difficult to achieve global coordination in the regulation and supervision of shadow banking. This paper examines the efforts that have been made, and the challenges that have been encountered, in achieving a coordinated response to shadow banking in Asia. The paper first provides an overview of shadow banking and the risks associated with it, canvassing some key responses proposed or taken with respect to shadow banking, including the work of the Financial Stability Board and the approaches in the European Union and the United States. It then focuses on the specific needs and risks inherent in the Asian region. The paper concludes by putting forward the case for a greater degree of regional coordination and makes a range of general and specific policy recommendations for this purpose, including the use of an existing regional body to drive coordination efforts and proposals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the migration of Asia-born academics from traditional centers in the West to Singapore, a rapidly developing education hub in Southeast Asia. We argue that such movement can be seen as a form of quasi-return, where migrant faculty look for places where they can be "close enough" to aging parents and family, while working in an institution that is "good enough" to continue research work. This position leads to conflicting notions of social mobility, when defined in terms of professional prestige and status. While interviewees perceived their move to Singapore as a form of upward mobility when compared to colleagues within their home countries, they simultaneously worried about their downward mobility compared to peers who had remained in the West. Such perceptions shape their decision to leave Singapore in the future, reinforcing current university hierarchies, where institutions in the USA and Europe continue to dominate notions of academic prestige. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Applied nuclear physics is an essential part of the research activity at many particle accelerators. New, large accelerator facilities are currently under construction in Europe, Asia, and USA. These machines will be able to produce radioactive ion beams, and to increase the intensity and the energy of the heavy ions well beyond the limits currently available at the therapy or research facilities. The upcoming facilities open new opportunities for research in biomedical applications that require these special properties, such as particle radiography, radioactive beam imaging, ultra-high dose rates and new ions for therapy. Moreover, space radiation research and materials science can successfully exploit these new centers. The new facilities can pave the way to many future applications of nuclear physics for the benefit of the society. In this paper we will summarize the current status of applied sciences at high-energy accelerators, describe the characteristics of some of the machines under construction (FAIR, NICA, RAON, ELI) and discuss the new opportunities offered by these facilities in applied sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Interprofessional continuing education (IPCE) health care educators must plan activities as members of interprofessional teams and deliver activities to an interprofessional audience. Evidence in the literature suggests they are not well prepared to meet this challenge. This paper reviews one strategy to improve the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and practices of IPCE educators. Methods: Seven faculty development workshops were conducted within the USA, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Approximately 250 learners participated in the workshops in total, with 107 in an IRB-approved research study. Results: From the research cohorts demonstrated improved knowledge and skills over a 12-month period. Knowledge and skills scores increased most significantly from baseline to 3 months and remained above baseline at 6-12 months. The workshop was not an effective strategy to improve attitudes towards IPCE, though attitude scores were already high prior to participating. Conclusions: All participants actively engaged in the workshops. There were no observed differences in engagement by geographic region, gender, age, or profession. Participants stated they were better able to understand the roles of other team members; perspectives of patients, families, and caregivers; and their own roles on clinical teams. Participants described gaining a new appreciation for the complexity of designing IPCE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Talanta has been known as one of the top ranking journals in (general) analytical chemistry. Applying a search term "Talanta" in Scopus, using the tool for analysis in there, some characteristics on Talanta were investigated. Tracing back for every 10 year period, by considering the citations relevant to the key words of the published papers, it can be seen that Talanta serves to report the works in the trends of that period. At the beginning period of Talanta, major contributions were from Europe and the USA and less contributions from Asia. After 30 years of Talanta, contributions from Asia, especially from China, have increased. Contributions from more countries around the globe have been increasing. Image 1 • Talanta has been known as one of the top ranking journals in (general) analytical chemistry. • Via Scopus, some characteristics on Talanta were investigated. • Talanta serves to report the works in the trends in that period. • Contributions from more countries around the globe have been increasing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), one of the deadliest parasitic diseases in the world, causes more than 50,000 human deaths each year and afflicts millions of people throughout South America, East Africa, South Asia, and Mediterranean Region. In 2015 the World Health Organization classified VL as a neglected tropical disease (NTD), prompting concentrated study of the VL epidemic using mathematical and simulation models. This paper reviews literature related to prevalence and prevention control strategies. More than thirty current research works were reviewed and classified based on VL epidemic study methods, including modeling approaches, control strategies, and simulation techniques since 2013. A summarization of these technical methods, major findings, and contributions from existing works revealed that VL epidemic research efforts must improve in the areas of validating and verifying VL mathematical models with real-world epidemic data. In addition, more dynamic disease control strategies must be explored and advanced simulation techniques must be used to predict VL pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asia's middle powers face a trilateral dilemma stemming from their relationships with the U.S. and China. This paper uses the Australian example to examine the dilemma. It shows that Australia has bound itself to the U.S. because of domestic political factors, cost considerations, a belief that it can keep its interests separate, and its perception of regional threats. The paper then argues that others are likely to resolve their trilateral dilemmas in ways that make the regional strategic dynamic more competitive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Spirobolellus has a worldwide distribution, including Asia, Australia and America. In this paper, we describe a new species of Spirobolellus collected in Viñales, Pinar del Rio province between 1941 and 1946. The new species differs from others because it is bigger and the curved shape of posterior gonopodes. Additionally, the sternal process is wide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the significance of engaging in Asian American studies in Asia, with examples drawn primarily from Japan. It asks: what happens when this US-based racial minority studies is relocated to the place where Asians do not constitute racial minorities? The paper argues that, on the one hand, the intellectual encounter between Asia and Asian America encourages the US-based minority studies to examine their implications in American imperialism in their perceptions towards Asia. On the other hand, Asian American studies as the racial minority discourse forces ethno-racial majority Asians, with all our ethnic, national, and other differences, to reflect upon the racial, ethnic, and (neo)colonial relations in our own lands while critiquing the inequalities that are taking place in and across Asia. The paper looks at the forms of minority struggles in Japan, zainichi Koreans and Okinawans, in order to propel the US Asian American scholars to decentralize their work and perspectives. It is my hope that this new perspective generated from Asia-based Asian American studies will help construct a place of mutual learning, where we can engage in conversation to ask new questions, to challenge and transform Asian American studies as we know it. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although bonds have been commonly used for financing construction works in developed countries such as the United States, Asian governments would like to see their construction growth increasingly funded by alternative sources such as the capital market, instead of overrelying on bank loans. Yet even in relatively active markets such as Hong Kong and Singapore, the use of bond financing for infrastructure development is limited. In a recent study based on two questionnaire surveys with subsequent interviews about retail and institutional investors, results demonstrated that credit risk was a major concern and that deterrents include lack of bond market information, illiquidity of domestic bonds, and the reliability of external credit ratings. Institutional investors, however, welcome infrastructure bonds because of the stable income stream matching their long-term commitments. To address these practical concerns, we have proposed credit and liquidity enhancement measures in this paper as the critical success factors for international construction promoters to tap into the bond market for financing construction works in Asia. Hence, this paper will be of interest to academics and practitioners who are working on project financing, because empirical findings reveal investors' concerns, which are then addressed with recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The climate of competition for students in the higher education sector makes it imperative that institutions increase their marketing efforts, both domestically and internationally, to help sustain student numbers. In Australia, the Bradley Report and the government response, which will do away with quotas, allows for a much freer market than previously, including the entry of private providers into the undergraduate degree market. It will become more critical than ever before to improve student attraction. Added to this, the increasing pressure from European and US universities in the Asian market requires Australian universities to improve their marketing and student recruitment in the international space. This paper draws on the large volume of material related to marketing universities that exists. The literature has changed its scope over time, originally focusing on the publications universities produced, then the branding effort, and more recently, relationship marketing. This paper provides a meta-analysis of the literature in an attempt to suggest some possible improvements that institutions could implement to have an impact on student recruitment and help sustain, or even improve, student numbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper takes a systems perspective in exploring and analyzing optimization possibilities and market dynamics of the global steel industry. To assess and improve this industry's performance, two analytical approaches are used. First, a multiple regression analysis was applied to determine the important relationships among world crude steel producers, international trading blocs and key countries to quantify the historical correlations in the steel industry. Next, game theory models are applied to study global steel industry dynamics and to quantify and compare historical production data in order to determine optimal approaches that could be employed to gain market share by key countries and players. In order to gain an in-depth understanding of interplay among various system's players within this complex global steel industry, the paper discusses protectionism, quotas, tariffs, exports, imports, capacity, substitution, specialization, mergers and cooperation, among other strategies used historically within the industry. A geographical survey of the global steel industry data is presented in multiple chart formats. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the industry players are compared. Implications of the analytical findings for the US, European, and Asian competitors in the global steel industry are outlined and recommendations that would lead to optimization of global steel industry operations are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the ways to develop a curriculum and pedagogy to teach Asian cultures and histories to US students - and by implication to students in the West - from critical postcolonial perspectives. In particular, by examining studies of Japan as an example, it identifies and discusses several key issues, including application of the concept of Orientalism, (commonsensical) binary oppositions that lurk in cross-cultural studies and understandings, and cultural essentialisms and nationalisms that emerge in (de-colonised and modernising) Asian nations. The paper argues that postcolonial perspectives can offer us a set of useful theoretical tools to counteract the hegemonic ways of teaching and studying about Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a theoretical framework for understanding emergent disciplines as knowledge-focused social movement phenomena called New Knowledge Movements, or NKMs. The proposed theoretical framework is developed through a synthesis of new social movement theory and Frickel and Gross's Scientific/Intellectual Movements (SIMs) model. In contrast to the SIMs model, this paper argues that many new disciplines emerge through contentious collective action on the part of political and intellectual outsiders rather than through the action of intellectual elites. The framework is examined through historical narratives of two disciplines, women's studies and Asian American studies, in the USA. This framework will be useful to scholars studying the emergence of other disciplines and their related social movement dynamics, particularly those disciplines connected to deeply held personal identities or belief systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The paper discusses the dilemmas facing European regulators (the European Commission and the national regulatory authorities) over the promotion of investment in Next Generation Access Networks (NGANs). Whereas the US has adopted a deregulatory approach and parts of Asia takes an approach linked to industrial policy considerations, the EU has largely left the process to operators working subject to a framework of regulation of access. While this may be enough to elicit investment where there is competition among networks, the incentives to invest are weaker where there is only one fixed network, as is the case in most of the territory of the EU. In reaching this view, the paper examines the prospects for competition from both wireless and municipal networks. It recommends that steps be taken fully to mobilise incentives to invest in NGANs where there is competition. Elsewhere, it may be necessary to consider a broader range of policies to create conditions for investment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper assesses group differences in severe and fatal road-traffic accidents by using a unique database that merges road-traffic records with the Israeli census data. The database traces, over a period of 9 years, a group of drivers that comprises 20% of the Israeli population and explores the probability of their being involved in an accident. This unique database enables the investigation of drivers’ socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, while controlling for a variety of variables, such as estimated daily distance traveled and license type. Testing a previously published theoretical paper on the social bases of accidents, the findings expose significant group differences in estimated probabilities of being involved in severe and fatal accidents. For example, estimated probabilities of accident involvement are higher for males than for females, for non-Jewish drivers than for Jewish, and for drivers whose origins are in Africa and Asia than in America and Europe. Furthermore, the higher one''s education and socioeconomic status, the lower is the probability of accident-involvement. The implications of the findings for developing road-safety programs and suggestions for future research are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

With rapid growth in demand for water, the resource is increasingly being transferred from agriculture to cities and industries. This paper examines trends and expected future changes in sectoral water demand, which drive water transfers. It then describes alternative mechanisms for water reallocation, including administrative reallocation, market-based reallocation, collective negotiation, and other means, including combinations of mechanisms, and illegal transfers. Transfer mechanisms and implications for rural livelihoods and the environment are illustrated for case studies in the western United States and Asia. The paper concludes with a series of suggestions for alternative policies and institutions for reallocation that could help reduce adverse consequences for the poor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to examine short-term trends in the prevalence of limitation in Activities of Daily Living (ADL), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) and Nagi physical functioning tasks among persons age 60 years or older in five Asian settings: Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and the Beijing Municipality. The data come from recent panel surveys of older adults that span a period of 3-4 years during the mid to late 1990s. Results suggest a general trend toward an increase in functional limitation in four of the five settings, with the most pronounced increases occurring for the Nagi functioning tasks. Compositional differences in the population accounted for little of the increase. The paper discusses the potential implications of these results and places them in the context of past and current trends in functional limitation observed in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the next several decades, oil and gas production in Canada is expected to increase to meet growing demand in the United States and the Asia Pacific Region. Currently, eight major pipeline projects are being proposed in Canada to transport increased oil and gas production to market. This paper reviews potential impacts of the pipeline projects and develops a methodology for evaluating the current regime for assessing and managing project impacts based on best practices criteria. The results of the evaluation show that only three of 14 best practices criteria are met. The most significant deficiencies are: lack of clear decision-making criteria and methods; absence of decision-making processes that contain a legal obligation to provide compensation to those negatively affected by a project and ensure project benefits are equitably distributed; and no provision for comparative evaluation of competing projects. This paper identifies improvements required in environmental assessment and planning processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents two sets of arguments: one theoretical and one analytical. The theoretical arguments concern the relationship between regional ordering and systemic change. The paper questions the usefulness of the unipolar conception of the contemporary system arguing that the interaction of the Great Powers cannot be understood without reference to regional dynamics. Thus, a unipolar system implies considerable potential for U.S. hegemonic intervention at the regional level but in East Asia, we find an equilibrium constructed out of both material and normative forces, defined as a concert, which presents a considerable restraint on all powers, including the U.S. The paper then proceeds to examine these claims through an analysis of the foreign policies of the U.S., Russia, and China over the North Korean nuclear problem that emerged after 2002. It finds that China and Russia have substantive common interests arising from internal and external re-ordering in which they look to strategic partnerships, regional multilateralism, and systemic multipolarization as inter-locking processes. The paper finds that they have collaborated over the Korean crisis to prevent a U.S. unilateral solution but that this should not be construed as a success for an open counterhegemonic strategy as it was only under the constraining conditions of East Asian concert, including the dynamics within the U.S. alliance systems, that this collaboration was successful. Nevertheless, the paper concludes that regional multipolarity and systemic unipolarity are contradictory: a system that exhibits multipolarization at the regional level cannot be characterized as unipolar at the global level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that the evolution of APEC and the rejection of Japan's 1997 AMF proposal reflect a failure of Japanese and US leadership. Not only have the two countries failed to exercise either individual or shared regional leadership. Instead, both have used their considerable structural power negatively to block the other's proposals for regional collective action, rather than positively to exercise leadership. After developing the concepts of leadership and blocking power, the paper provides case studies of the APEC and AMF. It concludes that if a post-hegemonic US no longer has the willingness and/or the ability to undertake collective action single-handedly, and if in a post-Cold War world neither the US nor Japan has sufficient incentives to bridge their differences and sacrifice some interests to achieve a unified stance, then continued stalemate and under-supply of regional collective goods can be expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The New Economy poses significant challenges and opportunities for Asia's model of state-guided development. After decades of prolific advance in economic growth and social welfare, the Asian financial crisis instigated the transformation of existing industries and the rise of new ones, especially in information and communications sectors. At the same time, environmental sustainability, traditionally considered a luxury unaffordable for the quick developers of Asia, is becoming an imperative with policy-makers and businesspeople, as public health in Asian megacities continues to deteriorate. This paper considers the complex processes of business and market transformation introduced by the New Economy, and the ensuing implications for economic, social and environmental sustainability in Asia. In particular, this paper considers the sustainability implications of transformation in business processes brought about through the business applications of new information and communications technologies (ICTs); expansion of new online markets for goods and services, especially those that may exist exclusively through ICTs; and changes in secondary and related industries, such as hardware, software and infrastructure sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fraction of U.S. college graduate women who ever marry has increased relative to less educated women since the mid-1970s. In contrast, college graduate women in developed Asian countries have had decreased rates of marriage, so much so that the term 'Gold Misses' has been coined to describe them. This paper argues that the interaction of rapid economic growth in Asia combined with the intergenerational transmission of gender attitudes causes the 'Gold Miss' phenomenon. I present a simple dynamic model then test its implications using U.S. and Asian data on marriage and time use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sedentary behaviour (SB) has emerged as a potential risk factor for metabolic health in youth. Knowledge on the determinants of SB in youth is necessary to inform future intervention development to reduce SB. A systematic review was conducted to identify predictors and determinants of SB in youth. Pubmed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Web of Science were searched, limiting to articles in English, published between January 2000 and May 2014. The search strategy was based on four key elements and their synonyms: (a) sedentary behaviour, (b) determinants, (c) types of sedentary behaviours, (d) types of determinants. The full protocol is available from PROSPERO (PROSPERO 2014:CRD42014009823). Cross-sectional studies were excluded. The analysis was guided by the socio-ecological model. 37 studies were selected out of 2654 identified papers from the systematic literature search. Most studies were conducted in Europe (n = 13), USA (n = 11), and Australia (n = 10). The study quality, using the Qualsyst tool, was high with a median of 82 % (IQR: 74-91 %). Multiple potential determinants were studied in only one or two studies. Determinants were found at the individual, interpersonal, environmental and policy level but few studies examined a comprehensive set of factors at different levels of influences. Evidence was found for age being positively associated with total SB, and weight status and baseline assessment of screen time being positively associated with screen time (at follow-up). A higher playground density and a higher availability of play and sports equipment at school were consistently related to an increased total SB, although these consistent findings come from single studies. Evidence was also reported for the presence of safe places to cross roads and lengthening morning and lunch breaks being associated with less total SB. Future interventions to decrease SB levels should especially target children with overweight or obesity and should start at a young age. However, since the relationship of many determinants with SB remains inconsistent, there is still a need for more longitudinal research on determinants of SB in youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This paper provides a quantitative review that estimates exposure rates by type of violence, setting, source, and world region. Design: A quantitative review of the nursing violence literature was summarized. Data sources: A literature search was conducted using the CINAHL, Medline and PsycInfo data bases. Studies included had to report empirical results using a nursing sample, and include data on bullying, sexual harassment, and/or violence exposure rates. A total of 136 articles provided data on 151,347 nurses from 160 samples. Procedure: Articles were identified through a database search and by consulting reference lists of review articles that were located. Relevant data were coded by the three authors. Categories depended on the availability of at least five studies. Exposure rates were coded as percentages of nurses in the sample who reported a given type of violence. Five types of violence were physical, nonphysical, bullying, sexual harassment, and combined (type of violence was not indicated). Setting, timeframe, country, and source of violence were coded. Results: Overall violence exposure rates were 36.4% for physical violence, 66.9% for nonphysical violence, 39.7% for bullying, and 25% for sexual harassment, with 32.7% of nurses reporting having been physically injured in an assault. Rates of exposure varied by world region (Anglo, Asia, Europe and Middle East), with the highest rates for physical violence and sexual harassment in the Anglo region, and the highest rates of nonphysical violence and bullying in the Middle East. Regions also varied in the source of violence, with patients accounting for most of it in Anglo and European regions, whereas patents' families/friends were the most common source in the Middle East. Conclusions: About a third of nurses worldwide indicated exposure to physical violence and bullying, about a third reported injury, about a quarter experienced sexual harassment, and about two-thirds indicated nonphysical violence. Physical violence was most prevalent in emergency departments, geriatric, and psychiatric facilities. Physical violence and sexual harassment were most prevalent in Anglo countries, and nonphysical violence and bullying were most prevalent in the Middle East. Patients accounted for most physical violence in the Anglo region and Europe, and patient family and friends accounted for the most in the Middle East. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the editor discusses various reports published within the issue including a paper by Yeon-Shim Lee, Celia P. Kaplan and Eliseo J. Perez-Stable that compares the understanding of elder mistreatment (EM) among Chinese and Korean immigrants and a comprehensive overview of EM among Asian elders.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate if collection developers in American academic libraries have added predominantly "yellowface" movies to their collections, or have actively sought out movies created and acted by Asian and Asian Americans, to balance out their libraries' collections. Design/methodology/approach – In total, ten acknowledged "yellowface" movies and ten critically acclaimed Asian and Asian American movies were chosen. The collections of 157 academic libraries throughout the entire USA were then surveyed, including geographical areas that have had very few Asians or Asian Americans in their populations throughout their histories. Findings – The results show that neither "yellowface" movies nor Asian and Asian American movies are overtly dominant in the collections of American academic librarians, and one can conclude that the collection developers actively sought to find a balance between movies in both categories, no matter the geographical locations of their libraries. Social implications – No matter how unsavory is our racist past, representations of past bigotry and discrimination should be available for scholars of history, cultural studies, and sociology. However, interpretations of Asians defined with this jaundiced eye must be balanced with movies of Asians and Asian Americans defining themselves. Originality/value – The area of Asian and Asian American movies is rather small and arcane, yet the results of this survey show that there are no academic areas too small or narrow that do not demand the attention of a knowledgeable collection developer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sacciolepis (Poaceae, Panicoideae, Paniceae) is a pantropical genus composed by 23 species, mainly distributed in Africa, with some taxa in America, Asia and Australia. The aims of this work are to test the monophyly of Sacciolepis and to explore its infrageneric relationships. Thirty-one taxa and 80 morphological and anatomical characters, including continuous characters, were analyzed under the maximum parsimony criterion. The monophyly of Sacciolepis was corroborated and its diagnostic characters were discusssed. This paper is the first phylogenetic analysis of Sacciolepis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although recently there are extensive research on currency network using minimum spanning trees approach, the knowledge about the actual evolution of a currency web in Asia is still limited. In the paper, we study the structural evolution of an Asian network using daily exchange rate data. It was found that the correlation between Asian currencies and US Dollar, the previous regional key currency has become weaker and the intra-Asia interactions have increased. This becomes more salient after the exchange rate reform of China. Different from the previous studies, we further reveal that it is the trade volume, national wealth gap and countries growth cycle that has contributed to the evolutionary topology of the minimum spanning tree. These findings provide a valuable platform for theoretical modeling and further analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper applies grey forecast model to predict the number of foreign students coming from Asia, America, Europe, Oceania and other regions to Taiwan for higher education in the future. It also uses a viewpoint of service marketing to analyze the students' development in the future. The research outcomes can provide references of planning international alternating of higher education to higher education organizations and executive bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endoscopic hemostasis is commonly practiced during GI endoscopy practice. We hypothesized that, because the choice of endoscopic intervention is influenced by many factors, for example personal experience, prior training, guidelines, etc., there would be differences in practice patterns among different groups of endoscopists.Objective: To explore the potentially different practices for endoscopic hemostasis between the "East" (eight Asian countries) and the "West" (USA and Canada).Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study (internet-based survey).Study Subjects: We administered a questionnaire survey to American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and Korean Society of Gastroenterology (KSGE) members (see: http://www4.utsouthwestern.edu/inetdemo/endoscopy/hemostasis.html , or supplementary paper for review online).Results: Eastern ASGE members (n = 112) were more likely to complete this survey than ASGE members in the West (n = 180): 15.1 vs. 5.0%, P < 0.001. Choice of hemostatic method, regardless of primary or recurrent bleeding, varied significantly among Eastern and Western endoscopists. For example, for treatment of a gastric ulcer with a visible vessel, a vast majority (70%) of Western endoscopists preferred pre-injection followed by thermocoagulation whereas responses from the East were more diverse, with endoclip application +/- pre-injection being the top choice (29%) (P < 0.001). Personal EGD volume and hospital bed numbers did not seem to be associated with hemostatic choices in either the East or the West.Conclusions: Endoscopic hemostasis practice patterns for upper GI tract bleeding differed among Eastern and Western endoscopists, suggesting fundamental differences in practice habit determinants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We carried out bibliographic searches in PubMed and Embase.com for the period from 1996 to 2008 with the aim of reviewing the scientific literature on the relationship between various sources of indoor air pollution and the respiratory health of children under the age of five. Those studies that included adjusted correlation measurements for the most important confounding variables and which had an adequate population size were considered to be more relevant. The results concerning the relationship between gas energy sources and children's respiratory health were heterogeneous. Indoor air pollution from biomass combustion in the poorest countries was found to be an important risk factor for lower respiratory tract infections. Solvents involved in redecorating, DYI work, painting, and so forth, were found to be related to an increased risk for general respiratory problems. The distribution of papers depending on the pollution source showed a clear relationship with life-style and the level of development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Criticism of the Bush administration's policies in East Asia is hardly common fare. Roseate colors certainly pervade the picture painted by defenders of Bush's policies toward Asia who argue that relations between the US and that region have never been better. This paper shows to the contrary that the Bush administration politicized wide swaths of public policy, including foreign relations, in an effort to create a permanent Republican electoral majority. That effort created a host of failures in America's Asian relations. The article focuses on three central problems: excessive militarization of American foreign policy; economic mismanagement; and a unilateralism that distanced the US from the rising Asian regionalism. The failures are not irreversible however and a change in administration has the potential to revitalize cross Pacific ties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the intention to make a geo-traffic analysis of the situation and to forecast the global container traffic flows, the paper aims at analysing the rapid development of the container traffic and its respectable participation in the maritime and total world trade. The regional position of the world container traffic is analysed in particular, indicating the most important container traffic regions and the world container traffic flows. Analysing the container traffic intensity and the dynamics in the world container ports, as referent nodes of the container traffic flows, the main world, Asiatic, American and European container ports are defined. Based on the current data and relevant forecasts of the container traffic flow dynamics and development, some predictions of the container trade development as well as the distribution of the container traffic volume towards the leading market regions are analysed too. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]