• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.3323-3326
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• 2014

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Jamaican women. Locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) is associated with aggressive biology and poor prognosis, and has a predilection for African-American women. In this retrospective review, we assessed the prevalence of LABC as a breast cancer presentation in a population of mainly Afro-centric ethnicity, and determined disease characteristics and response to pre-operative chemotherapy. LABC was prevalent (20%), and had a low pathological response rate to pre-operative chemotherapy, with a high risk of disease recurrence. Increased utilization of breast cancer screening may help detect cancer at less advanced stages, and optimizing pre-operative chemotherapy is recommended to improve response rates and ultimately survival.

• International Journal of Quality Innovation
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.56-69
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• 2005

There have been growing concerns about whether proper measures are in place to ensure the delivery of quality services and the operations in research and educational institutions. This paper describes various quality models and discusses their relevance into the total quality concepts and quality management systems (QMS) in education. It then illustrates how a QMS and the accompanied quality manual be developed in a research and educational institution using the Centre for Enterprise Research Integration (ERI) at The University of the West Indies, Trinidad as a case. Through personal interviews with the $Centre{\square}s$ personnel, views on the operations and determinants of the QMS were acquired. Results showed that the people's resistance to changes, conflicts on academic freedom, and difficulties on measuring performance were the obstacles to QMS implementation. People involvement and proper communication are determinants of QMS implementation. The system also rests on having a tailored quality manual that entails the documentation of processes and procedures for ascertaining the delivery of quality services and operations in the Centre. The development of quality manual is briefly described in the paper.

• International Journal of Quality Innovation
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.131-146
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• 2005

There have been growing concerns about whether proper measures are in place to ensure the delivery of quality services and the operations in research and educational institutions. This paper describes various quality models and discusses their relevance into the total quality concepts and quality management systems (QMS) in education. It then illustrates how a QMS and the accompanied quality manual be developed in a research and educational institution using the Centre for Enterprise Research Integration (ERI) at The University of the West Indies, Trinidad as a case. Through personal interviews with the Centre's personnel, views on the operations and determinants of the QMS were acquired. Results showed that the people's resistance to changes, conflicts on academic freedom, and difficulties on measuring performance were the obstacles to QMS implementation. People involvement and proper communication are determinants of QMS implementation. The system also rests on having a tailored quality manual that entails the documentation of processes and procedures for ascertaining the delivery of quality services and operations in the Centre. The development of quality manual is briefly described in the paper.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.3319-3322
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• 2014

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Jamaican women. This study assessed the clinicopathologic features of cases in a hospital-based specialist clinic in Kingston, Jamaica. A retrospective chart review was performed for the 2-year study period and relevant clinical and surgico-pathologic data were recorded and analyzed. Median age of the 121 breast cancer patients was 52 years (range 22-84, IQR 20) and there was 1 case of male breast cancer. Most patients (65%) were referred from the surgical service after definitive breast cancer surgery, 20% were referred for pre-operative systemic therapy, and 15% had a diagnosis of metastatic disease. The surgico-pathologic group comprised 78 women who were referred for adjuvant therapy. The majority had presented with a palpable breast lump (91%), with median tumour size 3.5cm (range 0.4-13, IQR 4). Most tumours were node positive (56%). Approximately one-third of patients had stage III disease (33%). Most women presented with large palpable tumours and had lymph node involvement confirmed on surgicopathological evaluation, indicative of limited early breast cancer detection. A national screening mammography programme is recommended for detection of earlier lesions. Pre-operative systemic therapy should be considered as an option for eligible patients.

• International Journal of Quality Innovation
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.190-203
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• 2005

This paper empirically determines the extent to which ISO 9001 certified small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) were able to attain the eight quality management principles on which the ISO 9004:2000 Standard is based. It employs the Analytic Hierarchy Process approach in determining the percent weightings of these principles and the self-assessment questions which form part of the ISO 9004:2000 Standards. Of particular interest is a weakness of these enterprises in formulating policies addressing the needs and expectations of shareholders and the society in terms of the community and the public affected by the organisations or its products. This paper makes a contribution to the body of knowledge in the field of quality management in Trinidad and Tobago where such work is limited. It adds value by empirically measuring TQM implementation through determining the extent to which its criteria are implemented in ISO 9001 certified SMEs.

• International Journal of Quality Innovation
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.26-44
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• 2004

Distance Education is a non-traditional mode of training and can take many forms, one of which is the use of Computer Based Training (CBT). This paper reviews various quality assurance models for designing the delivery of programmes at the universities and other training institutions. It presents the findings of a CBT research that is currently being carried out at the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of the West Indies, Trinidad. The significance of the research is discussed with particular emphasis on the influence of curricula sequencing on knowledge acquisition in learners of varying cognitive styles. The paper concludes that adherence to quality assurance principles could result in the enhanced performance of users of the CBT.

• International Journal of Quality Innovation
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.98-106
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• 2006

Nowadays, agro-firms are confronted with competition from global suppliers in both domestic and export markets. Such competition in sustainable agro-operations is expected to intensify. The survival of these firms in developing countries urgently requires a significant transformation to be competitive. This paper discusses the rationale of adopting a national innovation (NI) approach from an industry-wide perspective. In order to attain sustainable agro-operations in developing countries, the approach stresses appropriate scientific and technological applications and effective linkages of technology transfer via the network between public and private institutions, universities and other research institutions. Central to this approach is the development of the agro-industrial sector whereby agri-chains are formed. An illustrated case of the NI approach is presented with respect to a small island developing state, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6501-6504
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• 2012

Background: Multiple myeloma is the most common malignant plasma cell dyscrasia and ranks second among primary haematological malignancies. This study describes the epidemiologic, clinical and pathologic profile of monoclonal gammopathies seen in the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), a tertiary care referral centre. Materials and Method: A retrospective analysis of 85 cases diagnosed at UHWI over the 5-year period 2003-2007 was conducted. The cases were identified from the bone marrow records as well as the computerized database of the Medical Records Department. Clinical presentation, family and personal history and demographic data were retrieved. Haematological and biochemical results were also analyzed. Results: There were 85 patients diagnosed with monoclonal gammopathies. The M:F ratio was 1.2:1 and the mean age was $65.7{\pm}1.3$ years. Eighty percent of the patients had skeletal pain and 40% experienced weight loss. Of the patients experiencing bone pain 56.7% had multiple lytic lesions, 26.7% had pathological fractures and 26.7% had compression fractures. Seventy-four patients (87.1%) had a haemoglobin level <12.0 g/dL with 52.9% having values <8.0 g/dL. Renal impairment was evident at diagnosis in 36.5%. Hypercalcemia was seen in 26.5% and hyperuricemia in 45.9%. Of the 79 patients who had serum protein electrophoresis performed, 77.2% had at least one monoclonal band and of these 24.6% had a monoclonal protein also present on urine protein electrophoresis. Conclusions: The demographic profile in this group of patients is largely similar to other studies in predominantly Caucasian populations; however there was a notable increase in prevalence of severe disease at presentation, with the majority of patients presenting at the most advanced stage. It is probable that these differences reflect socioeconomic factors and not merely inherent ethnic variation in disease biology.

• International Journal of Quality Innovation
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.11-22
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• 2007

Nowadays, the competitiveness of any organisations rests dominantly on how they can manage their performance, A host of performance variables such as quality, reliability, and efficiency are recognised as competitive priorities. This paper reviews the criteria and dimensions of performance measures, and discusses six core performance indicators in agribusiness operations with particular reference to the poultry/broiler farms. Besides, a holistic "Quality, Reliability and Efficiency" view of performance is proposed when developing measures for poultry agribusiness operations.

• International Journal of Quality Innovation
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.204-215
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• 2005

This paper explores innovative manufacturing processes, which can be used to manufacture the national musical instrument of Trinidad and Tobago, the Musical Steel Drum or Steel Pan. The main manufacturing process used today is the manual hand-forming technique. In order to achieve more consistent and deeper formed components while maintaining the high quality of the instrument, it is proposed that the Marforming process and the Flow-forming process, an adaptation of the Spinforming process, be used more frequently in the future to replace the traditional Hand-forming method. In the traditional Spinforming technique material is pushed from the outer circumference of the metal disc to the center in progressive passes of the former. This results in a thinning of the outer region of the formed component with thickening of the center, however the opposite is required for the musical steel drum and by adapting the process the required strain distributions were achieved. Evaluation took the form of strain analyses of pre-formed steel drums and visual inspection of the quality of the surface finish. It was found that the Marformed components had the smallest range of strain values while the Spinformed components had the largest range.