Displaying publications 21 - 35 of 35 in total

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  1. Yamaguchi T, Kuriya M, Morita T, Agar M, Choi YS, Goh C, et al.
    BMJ Support Palliat Care, 2017 Mar;7(1):23-31.
    PMID: 25012126 DOI: 10.1136/bmjspcare-2013-000588
    BACKGROUND: Although palliative care is an important public healthcare issue worldwide, the current situation in the Asia-Pacific region has not been systematically evaluated.

    OBJECTIVES: This survey aimed to clarify the current status of palliative care in the Asia-Pacific region.

    METHODS: Questionnaires were sent to a representative physician of each member country/region of the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network (APHN). The questionnaire examined palliative care service provision, information regarding physician certification in palliative care, the availability of essential drugs for palliative care listed by the International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) and the regulation of opioid-prescribing practice.

    RESULTS: Of the 14 member countries/regions of the APHN, 12 (86%) responded. Some form of specialist palliative care services had developed in all the responding countries/regions. Eight member countries/regions had physician certifications for palliative care. Most essential drugs for palliative care listed by the IAHPC were available, whereas hydromorphone, oxycodone and transmucosal fentanyl were unavailable in most countries/regions. Six member countries/regions required permission to prescribe and receive opioids.

    CONCLUSIONS: The development of palliative care is in different stages across the surveyed countries/regions in the Asia-Pacific region. Data from this survey can be used as baseline data for monitoring the development of palliative care in this region.

    Matched MeSH terms: Oceania
  2. Wu CH, McCloskey EV, Lee JK, Itabashi A, Prince R, Yu W, et al.
    J Clin Densitom, 2014 Jan-Mar;17(1):150-5.
    PMID: 23916756 DOI: 10.1016/j.jocd.2013.06.002
    The fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX(®)) has been developed for the identification of individuals with high risk of fracture in whom treatment to prevent fractures would be appropriate. FRAX models are not yet available for all countries or ethnicities, but surrogate models can be used within regions with similar fracture risk. The International Society for Clinical Densitometry (ISCD) and International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) are nonprofit multidisciplinary international professional organizations. Their visions are to advance the awareness, education, prevention, and treatment of osteoporosis. In November 2010, the IOF/ISCD FRAX initiative was held in Bucharest, bringing together international experts to review and create evidence-based official positions guiding clinicians for the practical use of FRAX. A consensus meeting of the Asia-Pacific (AP) Panel of the ISCD recently reviewed the most current Official Positions of the Joint Official Positions of ISCD and IOF on FRAX in view of the different population characteristics and health standards in the AP regions. The reviewed position statements included not only the key spectrum of positions but also unique concerns in AP regions.
    Matched MeSH terms: Oceania
  3. Reich D, Patterson N, Kircher M, Delfin F, Nandineni MR, Pugach I, et al.
    Am J Hum Genet, 2011 Oct 07;89(4):516-28.
    PMID: 21944045 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2011.09.005
    It has recently been shown that ancestors of New Guineans and Bougainville Islanders have inherited a proportion of their ancestry from Denisovans, an archaic hominin group from Siberia. However, only a sparse sampling of populations from Southeast Asia and Oceania were analyzed. Here, we quantify Denisova admixture in 33 additional populations from Asia and Oceania. Aboriginal Australians, Near Oceanians, Polynesians, Fijians, east Indonesians, and Mamanwa (a "Negrito" group from the Philippines) have all inherited genetic material from Denisovans, but mainland East Asians, western Indonesians, Jehai (a Negrito group from Malaysia), and Onge (a Negrito group from the Andaman Islands) have not. These results indicate that Denisova gene flow occurred into the common ancestors of New Guineans, Australians, and Mamanwa but not into the ancestors of the Jehai and Onge and suggest that relatives of present-day East Asians were not in Southeast Asia when the Denisova gene flow occurred. Our finding that descendants of the earliest inhabitants of Southeast Asia do not all harbor Denisova admixture is inconsistent with a history in which the Denisova interbreeding occurred in mainland Asia and then spread over Southeast Asia, leading to all its earliest modern human inhabitants. Instead, the data can be most parsimoniously explained if the Denisova gene flow occurred in Southeast Asia itself. Thus, archaic Denisovans must have lived over an extraordinarily broad geographic and ecological range, from Siberia to tropical Asia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Oceania
  4. McCabe MP, Fuller-Tyszkiewicz M, Mellor D, Ricciardelli L, Skouteris H, Mussap A
    J Health Psychol, 2012 Jul;17(5):693-701.
    PMID: 22021271 DOI: 10.1177/1359105311425274
    The current study examined body satisfaction and the value of body size among adolescents in Australia, Fiji, Malaysia, Tonga, Tongans in New Zealand, China, Chile and Greece. In total, 2489 adolescent females and 2152 males participated in the study. The results demonstrated that males were more satisfied with their body than females. Males generally had a lower BMI than females, except for males in China and Malaysia. Attitudes towards large bodies for males and females varied by cultural group. These results demonstrate the strong cultural similarities in body satisfaction, but the differences that occur in relation to a large body.
    Matched MeSH terms: Oceania
  5. Chong PH, Hamsah E, Goh C
    BMJ Support Palliat Care, 2017 Mar;7(1):17-22.
    PMID: 26338851 DOI: 10.1136/bmjspcare-2014-000812
    Paediatric palliative care services have increased both in numbers and capacity around the world in response to the needs of children living with life-limiting conditions. Members of the Asia Pacific Hospice Network, who render care to children, have increasingly realised the need to map existing services for enhanced collaborative, educational and advocacy efforts. An online survey was conducted over 2 months among professionals in the region to document current service provision, and at the same time to explore individual training needs and practice challenges. A questionnaire crafted through consensus by members of a new special interest group within the network was used to collect data. 59 distinct responses from 16 countries were obtained to build a directory, which has already been circulated. Content analyses of narrative responses yield further findings. Half of these services catered to adults as well as to children. Staffing and service provision varied across the region but most members worked in teams consisting of multidisciplinary professionals. Numerous service and funding models were found, reflecting wide differences in local conditions and responses to diverse patient populations unique to paediatric palliative care. The highest training needs centred around bereavement and spiritual care. Capacity and funding issues were expected, but significant lack of support by paediatricians was found to be alarming and warrants further study. Amid the heterogeneity, these services share common struggles and face similar needs. Identifying individual profiles of different services potentially helps to draw everyone together, towards a common vision, and towards creating opportunities for sharing of expertise and experience.
    Matched MeSH terms: Oceania
  6. Traub RJ, Irwin P, Dantas-Torres F, Tort GP, Labarthe NV, Inpankaew T, et al.
    Parasit Vectors, 2015 May 13;8:271.
    PMID: 25963851 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-0884-4
    This letter advises the imminent formation of the Companion Animal Parasites Council for the Tropics (CAPCT). The CAPCT consists of region-specific (e.g., Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Caribbean, Africa) experts comprising academics, veterinarians, parasitologists, physicians and allied industry partners that will work together to inform, guide and develop best-practice recommendations for the optimal diagnosis, treatment and control of companion animal parasites in the tropics, with the aim of protecting the health of pets and that of the public.
    Matched MeSH terms: Oceania
  7. Iwata H, Tanabe S, Sakai N, Nishimura A, Tatsukawa R
    Environ Pollut, 1994;85(1):15-33.
    PMID: 15091681
    Persistent organochlorines in air, river water and sediment samples were analysed from eastern and southern Asia (India, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia) and Oceania (Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands) to elucidate their geographical distribution in tropical environment. The concentrations of organochlorines in these abiotic samples collected from Taiwan, Japan and Australia were also monitored for comparison. Atmospheric and hydrospheric concentrations of HCHs (hexachlorocyclohexanes) and DDTs (DDT and its metabolites) in the tropical developing countries were apparently higher than those observed in the developed nations, suggesting extensive usage of these chemicals in the lower latitudes. CHLs (chlordane compounds) and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) were also occasionally observed at higher levels in the tropics, implying that their usage area is also expanding southward. Distribution patterns of organochlorines in sediments showed smaller spatial variations on global terms, indicating that the chemicals released in the tropical environment are dispersed rapidly through air and water and retained less in sediments. The ratios of organochlorine concentrations in sediment and water phases were positively correlated with the latitude of sampling, suggesting that persistent and semivolatile compounds discharged in the tropics tend to be redistributed on a global scale.
    Matched MeSH terms: Oceania
  8. Wong JHD, Ng KH, Sarasanandarajah S
    Phys Med, 2019 Oct;66:21-28.
    PMID: 31546154 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2019.09.079
    The increased use of medical imaging and radiation therapies has resulted in a high demand for medical physicists. Although medical physics programmes are well established in advanced countries, the same cannot be said for many low- and medium-income countries. In some countries, there may be huge variations in the graduates' skill and quality, which pose a problem in ensuring patient safety, providing quality assurance in treatments, optimisation of protocols and standardisation of quality. It also makes any yet-to-be-established regional peer recognition efforts problematic. In order to understand the depth of this problem, a survey was carried out as part of the home-based assignment under the RAS 6088 IAEA programme. A large diversity in terms of course content, duration, clinical training and student profile could be observed across the Asia-Oceania universities surveyed. Out of 25 programmes, only six received recognition from professional bodies, and they were mostly in Australia and New Zealand. Hence, to ensure quality education, a regional curriculum model needs to be developed to harmonise standards. And there is still a long way to go towards standardizing medical physics education and clinical training in the region.
    Matched MeSH terms: Oceania
  9. Padilla-Iglesias C, Gjesfjeld E, Vinicius L
    PLoS One, 2020;15(12):e0243171.
    PMID: 33259529 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243171
    The origins of linguistic diversity remain controversial. Studies disagree on whether group features such as population size or social structure accelerate or decelerate linguistic differentiation. While some analyses of between-group factors highlight the role of geographical isolation and reduced linguistic exchange in differentiation, others suggest that linguistic divergence is driven primarily by warfare among neighbouring groups and the use of language as marker of group identity. Here we provide the first integrated test of the effects of five historical sociodemographic and geographic variables on three measures of linguistic diversification among 50 Austronesian languages: rates of word gain, loss and overall lexical turnover. We control for their shared evolutionary histories through a time-calibrated phylogenetic sister-pairs approach. Results show that languages spoken in larger communities create new words at a faster pace. Within-group conflict promotes linguistic differentiation by increasing word loss, while warfare hinders linguistic differentiation by decreasing both rates of word gain and loss. Finally, we show that geographical isolation is a strong driver of lexical evolution mainly due to a considerable drift-driven acceleration in rates of word loss. We conclude that the motor of extreme linguistic diversity in Austronesia may have been the dispersal of populations across relatively isolated islands, favouring strong cultural ties amongst societies instead of warfare and cultural group marking.
    Matched MeSH terms: Oceania
  10. Bergström A, McCarthy SA, Hui R, Almarri MA, Ayub Q, Danecek P, et al.
    Science, 2020 Mar 20;367(6484).
    PMID: 32193295 DOI: 10.1126/science.aay5012
    Genome sequences from diverse human groups are needed to understand the structure of genetic variation in our species and the history of, and relationships between, different populations. We present 929 high-coverage genome sequences from 54 diverse human populations, 26 of which are physically phased using linked-read sequencing. Analyses of these genomes reveal an excess of previously undocumented common genetic variation private to southern Africa, central Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, but an absence of such variants fixed between major geographical regions. We also find deep and gradual population separations within Africa, contrasting population size histories between hunter-gatherer and agriculturalist groups in the past 10,000 years, and a contrast between single Neanderthal but multiple Denisovan source populations contributing to present-day human populations.
    Matched MeSH terms: Oceania
  11. Takeuchi F, Nakamura H, Yonemoto N, Komaki H, Rosales RL, Kornberg AJ, et al.
    Brain Dev, 2020 Mar;42(3):277-288.
    PMID: 31980267 DOI: 10.1016/j.braindev.2019.12.005
    BACKGROUND: Several studies on clinical practice for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) have been conducted in Western countries. However, there have been only a few similar studies in Asia and Oceania. Here, we investigate the steroid therapy-related clinical practice for DMD among the local experts. In 2015, we conducted a DMD expert survey in Asia and Oceania to acquire information regarding patients with DMD and to assess current clinical practice with the cooperation of Asian and Oceanian Myology Centre, a neuromuscular disease research network.

    RESULTS: We obtained survey responses from 87 out of 148 clinicians (62%) from 13 countries and regions. In China, 1385 DMD patients were followed-up by 5 respondent neurologists, and 84% were between 0 and 9 years of age (15% were 10-19 years, 1% > 19 years). While in Japan, 1032 patients were followed-up by 20 clinicians, and the age distribution was similar between the 3 groups (27% were 0-9 years, 35% were 10-19 years, 38% were >19 years). Most respondent clinicians (91%) were aware of DMD standard of care recommendations. Daily prednisolone/prednisone administration was used most frequently at initiation (N = 45, 64%). Inconsistent opinion on steroid therapy after loss of ambulation and medication for bone protection was observed.

    CONCLUSIONS: Rare disease research infrastructures have been underdeveloped in many of Asian and Oceanian countries. In this situation, our results show the snapshots of current medical situation and clinical practice in DMD. For further epidemiological studies, expansion of DMD registries is necessary.

    Matched MeSH terms: Oceania
  12. Chiong E, Murphy DG, Akaza H, Buchan NC, Chung BH, Kanesvaran R, et al.
    BJU Int, 2019 01;123(1):22-34.
    PMID: 30019467 DOI: 10.1111/bju.14489
    OBJECTIVE: The Asia Pacific Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference (APAC APCCC 2018) brought together 20 experts from 15 APAC countries to discuss the real-world application of consensus statements from the second APCCC held in St Gallen in 2017 (APCCC 2017).

    FINDINGS: Differences in genetics, environment, lifestyle, diet and culture are all likely to influence the management of advanced prostate cancer in the APAC region when compared with the rest of the world. When considering the strong APCCC 2017 recommendation for the use of upfront docetaxel in metastatic castration-naïve prostate cancer, the panel noted possible increased toxicity in Asian men receiving docetaxel, which would affect this recommendation in the APAC region. Although androgen receptor-targeting agents appear to be well tolerated in Asian men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, access to these drugs is very limited for financial reasons across the region. The meeting highlighted that cost and access to contemporary treatments and technologies are key factors influencing therapeutic decision-making in the APAC region. Whilst lower cost/older treatments and technologies may be an option, issues of culture and patient or physician preference mean, these may not always be acceptable. Although generic products can reduce cost in some countries, costs may still be prohibitive for lower-income patients or communities. The panellists noted the opportunity for a coordinated approach across the APAC region to address issues of access and cost. Developments in technologies and treatments are presenting new opportunities for the diagnosis and treatment of advanced prostate cancer. Differences in genetics and epidemiology affect the side-effect profiles of some drugs and influence prescribing.

    CONCLUSIONS: As the field continues to evolve, collaboration across the APAC region will be important to facilitate relevant research and collection and appraisal of data relevant to APAC populations. In the meantime, the APAC APCCC 2018 meeting highlighted the critical importance of a multidisciplinary team-based approach to treatment planning and care, delivery of best-practice care by clinicians with appropriate expertise, and the importance of patient information and support for informed patient choice.

    Matched MeSH terms: Oceania
  13. Hendriksen RS, Munk P, Njage P, van Bunnik B, McNally L, Lukjancenko O, et al.
    Nat Commun, 2019 03 08;10(1):1124.
    PMID: 30850636 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08853-3
    Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious threat to global public health, but obtaining representative data on AMR for healthy human populations is difficult. Here, we use metagenomic analysis of untreated sewage to characterize the bacterial resistome from 79 sites in 60 countries. We find systematic differences in abundance and diversity of AMR genes between Europe/North-America/Oceania and Africa/Asia/South-America. Antimicrobial use data and bacterial taxonomy only explains a minor part of the AMR variation that we observe. We find no evidence for cross-selection between antimicrobial classes, or for effect of air travel between sites. However, AMR gene abundance strongly correlates with socio-economic, health and environmental factors, which we use to predict AMR gene abundances in all countries in the world. Our findings suggest that global AMR gene diversity and abundance vary by region, and that improving sanitation and health could potentially limit the global burden of AMR. We propose metagenomic analysis of sewage as an ethically acceptable and economically feasible approach for continuous global surveillance and prediction of AMR.
    Matched MeSH terms: Oceania
  14. George CRR, Enriquez RP, Gatus BJ, Whiley DM, Lo YR, Ishikawa N, et al.
    PLoS One, 2019;14(4):e0213312.
    PMID: 30943199 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213312
    BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a global concern, with the ongoing emergence of ceftriaxone and azithromycin resistance threatening current treatment paradigms. To monitor the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in N. gonorrhoeae, the World Health Organization (WHO) Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Programme (GASP) has operated in the Western Pacific and South East Asian regions since 1992. The true burden of antimicrobial resistance remains unknown. In response, the objective of this study was to survey ceftriaxone and azithromycin susceptibility in N. gonorrhoeae across the western Pacific and south-east Asia, and interlink this data with systematically reviewed reports of ceftriaxone and azithromycin resistance.

    METHODS AND FINDINGS: The WHO Collaborating Centre for Sexually Transmitted Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance, Sydney, coordinated annual surveys of gonococcal susceptibilities with participating laboratories, and additionally undertook a systematic review of reports detailing gonococcal ceftriaxone and azithromycin susceptibility data for locations geographically in the Asia Pacific from 2011 to 2016. It was found that surveillance of gonococcal antimicrobial resistance remains limited in the Asia Pacific, with weaker surveillance of azithromycin versus ceftriaxone. Ninety-three published reports were identified (including national reports) which documented susceptibility data for ceftriaxone and azithromycin. GASP survey data was available for 21 countries, territories or areas, and suggested MICs are increasing for ceftriaxone and azithromycin. Between 2011 and 2016, the percentage of locations reporting >5% of gonococcal isolates with MICs to ceftriaxone meeting WHO's definition of decreased susceptibility (MIC ≥ 0.125 mg/L) increased from 14.3% to 35.3% and the percentage of locations reporting >5% of gonococcal isolates with azithromycin resistance (MIC ≥ 1 mg/L) increased from 14.3% to 38.9%. Published reports were available for several countries that did not provide GASP surveillance responses for ceftriaxone (n = 5) and azithromycin (n = 3) respectively. Over the study period, there was a 183% increase in the number of countries providing surveillance data for GASP for both ceftriaxone and azithromycin, and a 30.6% increase in ceftriaxone MIC testing across the Asia Pacific facilitated by this project.

    CONCLUSION: This study provides the first comprehensive illustration of increasing MICs to ceftriaxone in the Asia Pacific. The survey and literature review additionally detail increasing resistance to azithromycin. Further surveillance system strengthening is required to monitor these trends in order to address and curb gonococcal AMR in the region.

    Matched MeSH terms: Oceania
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