Meso-Cenozoic tectonics of the Central Kyrgyz Tien Shan (Central Asia), based on apatite fission track thermochronology.

Apatite fission track thermochronology on the Kyrgyz Tien Shan basement revealed a polyphased thermal history of the study-area. We interpret the Mesozoic and Cenozoic cooling-events as periods of tectonic reactivation

Displacement and disease: The Shan exodus and infectious disease implications for Thailand

Decades of neglect and abuses by the Burmese government have decimated the health of the peoples of Burma, particularly along her eastern frontiers, overwhelmingly populated by ethnic minorities such as the Shan. Vast areas of traditional Shan homelands have been systematically depopulated by the Burmese military regime as part of its counter-insurgency policy, which also employs widespread abuses of civilians by Burmese soldiers, including rape, torture, and extrajudicial executions. These abuses, coupled with Burmese government economic mismanagement which has further entrenched already pervasive poverty in rural Burma, have spawned a humanitarian catastrophe, forcing hundreds of thousands of ethnic Shan villagers to flee their homes for Thailand. In Thailand, they are denied refugee status and its legal protections, living at constant risk for arrest and deportation. Classified as "economic migrants," many are forced to work in exploitative conditions, including in the Thai sex industry, and Shan migrants often lack access to basic health services in Thailand. Available health data on Shan migrants in Thailand already indicates that this population bears a disproportionately high burden of infectious diseases, particularly HIV, tuberculosis, lymphatic filariasis, and some vaccine-preventable illnesses, undermining progress made by Thailand's public health system in controlling such entities. The ongoing failure to address the root political causes of migration and poor health in eastern Burma, coupled with the many barriers to accessing health programs in Thailand by undocumented migrants, particularly the Shan, virtually guarantees Thailand's inability to sustainably control many infectious disease entities, especially along her borders with Burma

TEACHING INDONESIA LANGUAGE FOR KUN SHAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND VOLUNTEERING FOR CAMPUS GUESTS FROM INDONESIAN UNIVERSITIES TAINAN – TAIWAN R. O. C.

Community service regarding the teaching Indonesia language and volunteering were initiated by the Chinese Language Center of Kun Shan University, Tainan - Taiwan R.O.C. This activity was one of the programs implemented by CLC - KSU in collaboration with international students include me from STKIP Muhammadiyah Enrekang. The purpose were to teach Indonesia language to all Kun Shan University students who were eager to learn Indonesian and to help Indonesia partners from different universities in Indonesia who came to visit Kun Shan University. I did this activity in the campus environment. When teaching Indonesia language, I prefer to teach in canteens or campus cafes to make it more fun while volunteering activities of course I became a translator of Mandarin into Indonesian or vice versa. When Indonesian guests came to KSU, the campus and I took them around and introduced the campus. While my partner in Indonesia prepared the materials and the lesson plans and also the KSU students sometimes did a video call to have long distance conversation.   &nbsp

Variation of morphology, isozymic and vitamin C content of dragon fruit varieties

Rahmawati B, Mahajoeno E. 2009. Variation of morphology, isozymic and vitamin C content of dragon fruit varieties. Nusantara Bioscience 1: 131-137. The aims of the research was to study the variation of morphology, the band pattern of isozyme, and vitamin C content of dragon fruit (Hylocereus spp.) varieties such as super red, red and white from Pasuruan (East Java), Sukoharjo and Klaten (Central Java), and Bantul districts (Yogyakarta). Morphological character were carried include fruit, stem, and flowers of each variety of dragon fruit. The isozymic pattern was analyzed using NTSYS 2.02i. The data matrix was counted based on the DICE coefficient. The clustering was done by applying UPGMA which counted through SHAN. Vitamin C content measured by titration method then analyzed descriptively. The results showed that the higher vitamin C content was found from super red of Pasuruan (6.00) and then followed by red color (5.376) and super red (5.113) both from Bantul. The morphological variation on the stem and petal colors, and fruits were also shown by the isozymic data of three varieties of dragon fruits collected from four separated locations. Esterase (EST) showed 18 bands and forming four (4) groups based on 75% genetic similarity index. The specific band occurred on Rf 0.633 of red varieties of dragon fruit from Bantul and on Rf 0.755 from Pasuruan. The specific band also occurs on Rf 0.347 of white variety from Bantul and on Rf 0.510 and on Rf 0.633 from Klaten. Glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) enzyme shows 12 bands and also forming four groups with a little difference for member in the fourth group. The specific band occurs on Rf 0.321 of red color fruit from Pasuruan. The specific band also occurs on the white from Pasuruan on Rf 0.446 and on Rf 0.482. The variation of dragon fruits were also supported by isozymic data indicated that the morphological character were in accordance with the genetics data. Key words: dragon fruit, Hylocereus, morphology, isozyme, vitamin C

Physico-chemical and enzymatic changes in peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) fruit in response to sodium salts during low temperature storage

‘Shan-i-Punjab’ is a leading cultivar of peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) in Punjab. After harvesting peach fruits cannot be stored for a longer period under ambient conditions. To prolong the post-harvest life of fruits, an experiment was conducted during the year 2014. Physiological mature fruits of peach cv. Shan-i-Punjab were harvested and subjected to various post-harvest dip treatments viz. sodium bicarbonate (@ 0.5 and 1%), sodium benzoate (@ 0.5 and 1%) for 5 mins. Treated and untreated (control) fruits were packed in Corrugated fibre board CFB boxes and kept under low temperature storage conditions (0-10 C and 90-95% RH) for 6 weeks. Stored fruits were analyzed for various physico-chemical characteristics after 2, 4, 5 and 6 weeks of storage. Fruits treated with 0.5% sodium bicarbonate showed better results in terms low PLW (5.05%), high palatability rating (7.66), TSS (11.26%), acidity (0.70%) and PME activity (1.28 ml of 0.02N NaOH used) upto 4 weeks of storage as compared to control. It can be concluded that peach fruits of the cultivar Shan-i-Punjab treated with sodium bicarbonate @ 0.5% can be safely stored upto 4 weeks with acceptable quality under low temperature conditions

Negotiating identities and emotional belonging: Shan in northern Thailand

This paper explores the complex ways in which Burmese Shan migrants in Northern Thailand utilise strategic practices of in/visibility and in/audibility to maintain emotional attachments to ethnic identity and belonging while negotiating a double exclusion from national belonging and citizenship in both home and host countries. Fleeing Shan State as a result of the long standing civil war and gross human rights abuses by Burma’s military junta, over 200,000 Shan have entered Thailand since 1996. Based on research conducted among three Shan communities in the small town of Pai, this article examines how strategic deployment and concealment of ethnic identity – in/visibility and in/audibility – allows Shan migrants to navigate different spaces of safety and precariousness while located in a situation of permanent temporariness of national (non)belonging

Between “Voluntary Migrants” and War Refugees: The Health of the Shan Burmese Migrant Workers in Northern Thailand

The Shan are a large migrant group from Burma (Myanmar) found within Thailand. While some Shan migrate to escape the civil war within Burma, others migrate for economic opportunity. Despite the size of this population, little is known about their health. Our study highlights the need for expanded access to primary care among this Shan population. Despite the arduous and trying journeys of these Shan migrants, they do not display the level of health sometimes attributed to health selection among immigrant groups

SCA-UK Newsletter, vol. 10 (November 2014)

The newsletter covers some latest news and articles on Shan cultural activities and updates on Shan studies

Effect of Lipid Composition on Nanostructured Lipid Carrier (NLC) on Ubiquinone Effectiveness as an Anti-aging Cosmetics

The purpose of this research is to determine the optimum composition of solid lipid and liquid lipid in order to increase the penetration and effectiveness of Q10 as antioxidant in anti-aging cosmetics. Solid lipid and liquid lipid used in this study were cetyl palmitate and caprylic, which were combined to four (4) different ratios, namely 10:0; 9:1; 7:3 and 5:5. NLC Q10 in this study was produced by high shear homogenization method at 3400 rpm for 5 cycles and at 24000 for 1 cycle. The fourth formula was evaluated in term of characteristics, penetration and effectiveness. From the pH test , it was known that all formulas met the skin pH range (4.0-6.0). For the particle size test , all formulas (NLC 1 - NLC 4) were in the range from 269.13 to 354.77 nm with NLC 3 (7: 3) had the smallest particle size. The results of viscosity and surface tension test were also consistent with the theory, where the addition of liquid lipid reduced viscosity and surface tension of the system. The entrapment efficiency (EE) demonstrated the EE of NLC 1: 22.24%; NLC 2: 24.71%; NLC 3: 58.21% and NLC 4:36.94%. The penetration test showed all systems were able to penetrate the dermis layer at the 5th hour. NLC 3 (7:3) had more rapid onset, while the NLC Q10 with the ratio of lipid 9:1, had slower onset of action but can penetrate farther than the other NLC Q10 system. The result of Q10 effectiveness test showed NLC 2 (9:1) has lowest total macrophage (23.33) and very dense collagen observation (score : 4). From this research, it can be concluded that NLC 2 (9:1) had the most optimal lipid composition to increase the penetration and effectiveness of Q10 as an antioxidant in anti-aging cosmetics