bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Varicella-Zoster Virus–Specific Cellular Immune Responses to the Live Attenuated Zoster Vaccine in Young and Older Adults
Authors: Weinberg Adriana , Canniff Jennifer , Rouphael Nadine , Mehta Aneesh , Mulligan Mark , Whitaker Jennifer A. , Levin Myron J.
Published: June 2017

The incidence and severity of herpes zoster (HZ) increases with age. The live attenuated zoster vaccine generates immune responses similar to HZ. We compared the immune responses to zoster vaccine in young and older to adults to increase our understanding of the immune characteristics that may contribute to the increased susceptibility to HZ in older adults. Young (25–40 y; n = 25) and older (60–80 y; n = 33) adults had similar magnitude memory responses to varicella-zoster virus (VZV) ex vivo restimulation measured by responder cell-frequency and flow cytometry, but the responses were delayed in older compared with young adults. Only young adults had an increase in dual-function VZV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell effectors defined by coexpression of IFN-γ, IL-2, and CD107a after vaccination. In contrast, older adults showed marginal increases in VZV-specific CD8+CD57+ senescent T cells after vaccination, which were already higher than those of young adults before vaccination. An increase in VZV-stimulated CD4+CD69+CD57+PD1+ and CD8+CD69+CD57+PD1+ T cells from baseline to postvaccination was associated with concurrent decreased VZV-memory and CD8+ effector responses, respectively, in older adults. Blocking the PD1 pathway during ex vivo VZV restimulation increased the CD4+ and CD8+ proliferation, but not the effector cytokine production, which modestly increased with TIM-3 blockade. We conclude that high proportions of senescent and exhausted VZV-specific T cells in the older adults contribute to their poor effector responses to a VZV challenge. This may underlie their inability to contain VZV reactivation and prevent the development of HZ.
Osteolytic Skull Lesions–Our Experience
Authors: Sandeep B. V. , Banga Manpreet Singh , Saha Suniti Kumar , Roy Kaushik
Published: June 2017

Objective: To present an overview of varied clinical presentations, investigations and treatment options for Osteolytic skull lesions. Study Design: It is a prospective study. Materials and Methods: We conducted this study from January 2013 to December 2015 in the Department of Neurosurgery, Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata. During this period, 14 patients presented with osteolytic skull lesions through the outpatient department. All patients were thoroughly investigated with appropriate hematological and radiological investigations and treated following admission, and surgery was performed in the Neurosurgery Department. All were followed regularly in OPD. Results: Total 14 patients were included in the study. Amongst these 7 were male and 7 female. Age group of patients ranged from 5 to 72 years. Of 14 cases, three cases had dermoid cyst, four cases had metastasis, and one each case had epidermoid cyst, intradiploic meningioma, benign cystic lesion, tuberculosis, histiocytosis X, hemangioma, and osteomyelitis. All underwent diagnostic/therapeutic procedures and referred for Radio or chemotherapy where indicated. Conclusion: All scalp/skull lesions need careful clinical correlation, appropriate radiological investigations to establish diagnosis and subject them to suitable treatment.
Surgically Relevant Bony Anatomical Variations in Paraclinoid Aneurysms-Three-Dimensional Multi-Detector Row Computed Tomography-Based Study
Authors: Suprasanna K. , Kumar Ashvini
Published: June 2017

Objective: To evaluate the proportion of surgically relevant anatomical variations such as caroticoclinoid foramen, interclinoid osseous bridge, and anterior clinoid pneumatization in patients with paraclinoid aneurysms based on computed tomography (CT) cerebral angiography studies. Materials and Methods: Fifty-four CT cerebral angiography studies showing paraclinoid aneurysms involving the cavernous, clinoid, and supraclinoid internal carotid artery (ICA) were retrospectively evaluated. Source images were processed for three-dimensional reconstructions to evaluate the presence and type of caroticoclinoid foramen, interclinoid osseous bridge, and multiplanar reconstructions with bone algorithm to study the type of pneumatization. Results: The study included 30 female and 24 male patients with mean age of 45.61 (10.47) years. Among the 108 sides studied in 54 patients, caroticoclinoid foramen was seen in 24 cases (22.22%), interclinoid osseous bridge was seen unilaterally in 1 case (0.9%), and pneumatization of anterior clinoid process occurred in 12 cases (11.11%). Incomplete caroticoclinoid foramen (11 cases) and Type I pneumatization (7 cases) were seen to be predominant subtypes. There was no statistically significant gender difference in the occurrence of caroticoclinoid foramen and anterior clinoid pneumatization. Seventy-four aneurysms were detected in 54 patients. Based on their location, 46 aneurysms involved supraclinoid ICA, 18 aneurysms in the clinoid segment, and 10 aneurysms in the cavernous segment. Caroticoclinoid foramen was most prevalent in clinoid aneurysms with 12 cases occurring in the clinoid segment. Conclusion: Notable proportions of caroticoclinoid foramen and pneumatization occur in cases of paraclinoid aneurysm. Radiological reports should emphasize on these surgically relevant bony anatomical variations.
Neuropsychiatric Manifestations of Scrub Typhus
Authors: Mahajan Sanjay K. , Mahajan Sanyam K.
Published: June 2017

Scrub typhus is caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi characterized by focal or disseminated vasculitis and perivasculitis which may involve the lungs, heart, liver, spleen and central nervous system. It was thought to have been eradicated from India. Recently it is being reported from many areas of India. The clinical picture and severity of the symptoms varies widely. The neurological manifestations of scrub typhus are not uncommon but are diverse. Meningoencephalitis is classical manifestation of scrub typhus but cerebellitis, cranial nerve palsies, plexopathy, transverse myelitis, neuroleptic malignant syndrome and Guillan-Barré syndrome are other manifestations reported in literature. The availability of literature on the neurological manifestations of scrub typhus is limited to case reports mainly. This article reviews various neurological manifestations of scrub typhus reported in literature.
Is Depression Related to Low Folate Levels in People with Epilepsy? An Observational Study and Meta-analysis
Authors: Ramanujam Bhargavi , Bajaj Bhupender Kumar , Kaur Kirandeep , Anand Kuljeet Singh , Buxi Gurdeep
Published: June 2017

Background: Both depression and low serum levels of folate are common in people with epilepsy (PWE), the latter especially in patients on hepatic enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). We did a cross-sectional study and a meta-analysis to assess if lower folate levels have any relation with depression in PWE. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and one PWE were recruited and assessed for depression using the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self-Rated (IDS-SR) and Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Clinician Rated; serum folate levels were measured in them at the same time. Literature search was carried out and studies with data on depression as well as folate levels in PWE were included. Statistical analysis to determine frequency of depression, low folate levels, and relation between them among our cases and the pooled data from the included studies was done. Results: Depression was observed in 65.68% and low serum folate (<4 ng/ml) in 48.75% of PWE (over 80% on older AEDs); there was no statistically significant correlation between them. However, on analyzing the pooled data of six studies including the present, the Fisher’s z-transformed correlation coefficient was −0.1690 (95% confidence interval [−0.3175, −0.0124], P = 0.0464). Conclusions: Depression and low folate levels are common in PWE. Low folate levels have a mild but significant negative correlation with depression in this population, and folate supplementation would be advisable for those on the older AEDs.
Does Gender Influence Electroconvulsive Therapy Sessions Required across Psychiatric Diagnoses? A 5-Year Experience from a Single Center
Authors: Manohar Harshini , Subramanian Karthick , Menon Vikas , Kattimani Shivanand
Published: June 2017

Context: There is a paucity of systematic data reflecting the practice of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) from developing countries. Aim: We aimed to identify the number of ECT sessions required to yield response and gender differences in the number of sessions across various diagnostic categories. Setting and Design: A record-based study from a teaching cum tertiary care hospital in South India. Subjects and Methods: Case records of patients who received modified ECT from January 2011 to January 2016 were reviewed. The sociodemographic details and ECT-related data were collected. Psychiatric diagnoses were ascertained as per the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision criteria. Statistical Analysis Used: Kruskal–Wallis test and Mann–Whitney U-test. Results: Among 148 patients, 82 (55.4%) had mood disorder (bipolar disorder and recurrent depressive disorder), 43 (29.1%) had schizophrenia, and 22 (14.9%) had other acute and transient psychotic disorders (ATPDs). Patients with mood disorders, schizophrenia, and other ATPD received 7.3 (± 3.8), 9.7 (± 6.1), and 5.4 (± 2.0) ECT sessions, respectively, to achieve response. There was no gender difference in the number of sessions received. Conclusion: Our findings show that number of ECT sessions required to yield response may be disorder-specific. Gender does not influence the ECT dose requirement. Variations in ECT parameters across settings may limit the generalizability of results.
Mood Disorder as an Early Presentation of Epidermoid of Quadrigeminal Cistern
Authors: Kar Sujita Kumar , Das Kuntal Kanti , Jaiswal Awadhesh Kumar , Jaiswal Sushila
Published: June 2017

Intracranial epidermoids are space-occupying lesions of rare variant. Although cerebropontine angle and parasellar region are common sites of occurrence, it has been reported in various other parts of the intracranial cavity. Headache and features of increased intracranial tension are the common clinical manifestation. Report of psychiatric symptoms as the initial presentation of epidermoid is not known in literature except a single case report, which describes mutism to be the manifestation of intracranial epidermoid. We present here the case of a young male, who presented with long depressive episode persisting for 3 years with subsequent switch to mania, which persisted for more than 3 years. An episode of unconsciousness warranted neuroimaging, which revealed a large epidermoid of the quadrigeminal cistern. Surgical resection of the epidermoid was done. Persisting mood symptoms had responded to mood stabilizer and antipsychotic treatment.
Primary Paraspinal Hydatidosis Causing Acute Paraplegia
Authors: Sridharan Srihari , Jagan Narayana G. S. , Chidambaram Kalyanasundarabharathi , Jayachandiran Anand Prasath
Published: June 2017

The zoonotic infection hydatidosis is caused by the tapeworm cestode, Echinococcus granulosus. Though considered endemic in India where association of humans with sheep and dogs form part of the livelihood, primary skeletal muscle involvement of the disease is an extremely rare event. We report a case of primary paraspinal hydatidosis with extradural extension causing acute paraplegia. Excision of the cyst and decompression of the cord was done along with albendazole therapy. Paraspinal hydatid disease is a rare entity, and in regions where hydatid disease is endemic, it can be involved in the differential diagnosis of acute compressive myelopathy. Although antihelminthic chemotherapy forms the mainstay of the treatment, surgical intervention forms a major part of the management.
Periodic Steady-state Solutions of a Liquid Film Model via a Classical Method
Authors: Alhasanat Ahmad , Ou Chunhua
Published: June 2017

In this paper, periodic steady-state of a liquid film flowing over a periodic uneven wall is investigated via a classical method. Specifically, we analyze a long-wave model that is valid at the near-critical Reynolds number. For the periodic wall surface, we construct an iteration scheme in terms of an integral form of the original steady-state problem. The uniform convergence of the scheme is proved so that we can derive the existence and the uniqueness as well as the asymptotic formula of the periodic solutions.
Handwashing in 51 Countries: Analysis of Proxy Measures of Handwashing Behavior in Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys and Demographic and Health Surveys, 2010–2013
Authors: Kumar Swapna , Loughnan Libbet , Luyendijk Rolf , Hernandez Orlando , Weinger Merri , Arnold Fred , Ram Pavani K.
Published: June 2017

In 2009, a common set of questions addressing handwashing behavior was introduced into nationally representative Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), providing large amounts of comparable data from numerous countries worldwide. The objective of this analysis is to describe global handwashing patterns using two proxy indicators for handwashing behavior from 51 DHS and MICS surveys conducted in 2010–2013: availability of soap anywhere in the dwelling and access to a handwashing place with soap and water. Data were also examined across geographic regions, wealth quintiles, and rural versus urban settings. We found large disparities for both indicators across regions, and even among countries within the same World Health Organization region. Within countries, households in lower wealth quintiles and in rural areas were less likely to have soap anywhere in the dwelling and at designated handwashing locations than households in higher wealth quintiles and urban areas. In addition, disparities existed among various geographic regions within countries. This analysis demonstrates the need to promote access to handwashing materials and placement at handwashing locations in the dwelling, particularly in poorer, rural areas where children are more vulnerable to handwashing-preventable syndromes such as pneumonia and diarrhea.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection in Close Childhood Contacts of Adults with Pulmonary Tuberculosis is Increased by Secondhand Exposure to Tobacco
Authors: Adetifa Ifedayo M. O. , Kendall Lindsay , Donkor Simon , Lugos Moses D. , Hammond Abdulrahman S. , Owiafe Patrick K. , Ota Martin O. C. , Brookes Roger H. , Hill Philip C.
Published: June 2017

Tobacco use is a major risk factor for tuberculosis (TB). Secondhand smoke (SHS) is also a risk factor for TB and to a lesser extent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection without disease. We investigated the added risk of M. tuberculosis infection due to SHS exposure in childhood contacts of TB cases in The Gambia. Participants were childhood household contacts aged ≤ 14 years of newly diagnosed pulmonary TB (PTB) cases. The intensity of exposure to the case was categorized according to whether contacts slept in the same room, same house, or a different house as the case. Contacts were tested with an enzyme-linked immunospot interferon gamma release assay. In multivariate regression models, M. tuberculosis infection was associated with increasing exposure to a case (odds ratios [OR]: 3.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.11–71.4, P < 0.001]) and with male gender (OR: 1.5 [95% CI: 1.12–2.11], P = 0.008). Tobacco use caused a 3-fold increase in the odds of M. tuberculosis infection in children who slept closest to a case who smoked within the same home compared with a nonsmoking case (OR: 8.0 [95% CI: 2.74–23.29] versus 2.4 [95% CI: 1.17–4.92], P < 0.001). SHS exposure as an effect modifier appears to greatly increase the risk of M. tuberculosis infection in children exposed to PTB cases. Smoking cessation campaigns may be important for reducing transmission of M. tuberculosis to children within households.
Assessing the Short-Term Global Health Experience: A Cross-Sectional Study of Demographics, Socioeconomic Factors, and Disease Prevalence
Authors: Geen Olivia , Pumputis Allison , Kochi Cristina , Costa Andrew , Stobbe Karl
Published: June 2017

Interest in short-term global health experiences to underserviced populations has grown rapidly in the last few decades. However, there remains very little research on what participants can expect to encounter. At the same time, it has been suggested that in order for physicians and workers to provide safe and effective care, volunteers should have a basic understanding of local culture, health systems, epidemiology, and socioeconomic needs of the community before arriving. Our objective was to add to the limited literature on what short-term global health trips can expect to encounter through a cross-sectional study of patient demographics, socioeconomic markers, and the prevalence of diseases encountered on a short-term medical service trip to Lima, Peru. Descriptive analysis was conducted on clinic data collected from patients living in Pamplona Alta and Pamplona Baja, Lima, Peru, in July 2015. We found that volunteers encountered mainly female patients (70.8%), and that there were significant socioeconomic barriers to care including poverty, poor housing, environmental exposures, and lack of continuity of health care. Analysis of the disease prevalence found a high proportion of acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain in the adult populations (18.8% and 11.4%, respectively), and a high presentation of upper respiratory tract infections (25.4%) and parasites (22.0%) in the pediatric group. These findings can be used by future short-term medical service trips to address potential gaps in care including the organization of weekend clinics to allow access to working men, and the use of patient education and nonpharmacological management of acute and chronic disease.
Differences in Mortality and Clinical Manifestations of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever in Taiwan in Different Years: A Comparison for Cases in 2014 and 2015 Epidemics
Authors: Chang Ko , Huang Chung-Hao , Lee Ing-Kit , Lu Po-Liang , Lin Chun-Yu , Chen Tun-Chieh , Lai Ping-Chang , Hsieh Hsiao-Cheng , Yu Hsin-Liang , Hung Chih-Hsing , Wu Meng-Chieh , Chin Yi-Ying , Huang Chun-Chi , Wu Deng-Chyang , Chen Yen-Hsu
Published: June 2017

People in southern Taiwan experienced two major dengue outbreaks in 2014 and 2015. The mortality and clinical features were very different between these 2 years. Dengue virus serotype 1 (DENV-1) caused epidemic outbreak in 2014 and DENV-2 was predominant in 2015. The characteristics of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) cases in the 2 years was analyzed. We conducted a retrospective chart review to analyze the clinical and laboratory features of 206 adult patients with DHF in southern Taiwan in 2014 and 2015. The mortality rate of DHF cases in 2015 was higher than that of cases in 2014 (38.7% versus 12.4%, P < 0.0001). Compared with cases in 2014, DHF cases in 2015 had more complications, such as gastrointestinal bleeding (78.5% versus 61.9%, P = 0.01), severe hepatitis (30.1% versus 8%, P < 0.0001), and myocarditis (14% versus 0.9%, P < 0.0001). Among the mortality cases, diabetes, chronic renal failure, proton-pump inhibitors using, platelet transfusion, and Charlson comorbidity index score (Charlson score) were also higher in 2015. Multivariate analysis for the mortality cases revealed that the risk factors were Charlson score ≥ 5 (P = 0.02, odds ratio [OR] = 4.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.244–13.307), severe hepatitis (P < 0.0001, OR = 11.97, 95% CI = 3.831–37.396), and acute renal failure (P < 0.0001, OR = 98.76, 95% CI = 10.847–899.22). DHF cases in 2015 had higher mortality and more complications, such as gastrointestinal bleeding, severe hepatitis, and myocarditis, than in 2014 in southern Taiwan. In the 2-year DHF case series, Charlson score ≥ 5, severe hepatitis, and acute renal failure were independent significant variables for mortality.
Recurrence of Guinea Worm Disease in Chad after a 10-Year Absence: Risk Factors for Human Cases Identified in 2010–2011
Authors: Sreenivasan Nandini , Weiss Adam , Djiatsa Jean-Paul , Toe Fernand , Djimadoumaji Ngarodjel , Ayers Tracy , Eberhard Mark , Ruiz-Tiben Ernesto , Roy Sharon L.
Published: June 2017

A decade after reporting its last case of Guinea worm disease (GWD), a waterborne parasitic disease targeted for eradication, Chad reported 20 confirmed human cases from 17 villages—10 cases in 2010 and 10 cases in 2011. In 2012, the first GWD dog infections were diagnosed. We conducted a case-control study during April–May 2012 to identify human transmission risk factors and epidemiologic links. We recruited 19 cases and 45 controls matched by age, sex, time, and location of exposure based on the case patients’ periods of infection 10–14 months earlier. Data were analyzed with simple conditional logistic regression models using Firth penalized likelihood methods. Unusually, GWD did not appear to be associated with household primary water sources. Instead, secondary water sources, used outside the village or other nonprimary sources used at home, were risk factors (matched odds ratio = 38.1, 95% confidence interval = 1.6–728.2). This study highlights the changing epidemiology of GWD in Chad—household primary water sources were not identified as risk factors and few epidemiologic links were identified between the handfuls of sporadic cases per year, a trend that continues. Since this investigation, annual dog infections have increased, far surpassing human cases. An aquatic paratenic host is a postulated mode of transmission for both dogs and humans, although fish could not be assessed in this case-control study due to their near-universal consumption. GWD’s evolving nature in Chad underscores the continued need for interventions to prevent both waterborne and potential foodborne transmission until the true mechanism is established.
Impact of Electronic Feedback and Peer Comparisons on Residents' Physical Activity Level
Authors: Yeung Jennifer , Mazloomdoost Donna , Crisp Catrina C. , Kleeman Steven , Pauls Rachel N.
Published: June 2017

Background 

Activity tracking devices can reinforce physical fitness and may be beneficial to resident physicians. To date, their use has not been evaluated.

Objective 

To determine if use of an activity tracking device increases residents' activity, measured as steps per day.

Methods 

A prospective, crossover study involved residents at 1 academic hospital system. Participants were weighed and completed a baseline survey. All participants were asked to wear an activity tracking device for 8 weeks. Residents were blinded to feedback from the device on activity level during the first 4 weeks. During the second 4-week period, participants were given access to data on activity level and were invited to join a voluntary activity tracking group.

Results 

Of 104 residents invited to participate, 86 enrolled. The majority of participants were female and did not have experience using activity trackers. Almost half (49%, 51 of 104) had a body mass index greater than 25 kg/m2. The median steps per day of all participants during the blinded period was 7260. This increased to 8266 steps per day during the unblinded period. Surgical residents recorded significantly more steps than nonsurgical specialties (7938 versus 6724, P = .018). The 26 residents who joined the voluntary activity tracking group registered higher median steps per day, and wore their activity tracker more consistently.

Conclusions 

Providing residents with activity trackers, increasing feedback, and providing comparisons to peers may enhance residents' physical activity levels.
Legal challenges in the implementation of Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB) in Spain
Authors: Cárcel-Carrasco Javier , Peñalvo-López Elisa , Morcillo Isolda
Published: June 2017

Construction activities that include renovation work and energy retrofits add almost twice as much value as the construction of new buildings, and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) contribute more than 70% of the value added in the EU building sector. This article analyses the legislation associated to Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB) in Spain in order to identify the factors that will leverage their massive implementation. The paper is organized in three main sections: first one, it describes the geographical and social context of nZEB in Spain, then legislative requirements and policies are analysed; and finally, it identifies the training market penetration for nZEB.
Vaginal Leiomyoma: Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Gupta Mamta , Jindal Rita , Kumari Supriya , Nargotra Namrata
Published: June 2017

Introduction

Leiomyoma arising from the vagina is a rare entity with varied presentations.

Case Report

A woman 44 years of age presented with complaints of something coming out vaginally, polymenorrhea, and pain in abdomen. A mass arising from the right posterolateral wall of vagina was seen. Ultrasound reported it to be cervical fibroid. The mass was enucleated through vaginal route. Histopathology confirmed it to be a leiomyoma. Review of literature revealed that it has a varied presentation. Diagnosis is often missed.

Conclusion

The condition should always be kept in mind whenever coming across any mass in vagina.

How to cite this article

Gupta M, Saini V, Jindal R, Kumari S, Nargotra N. Vaginal Leiomyoma: Case Report and Literature Review. J South Asian Feder Menopause Soc 2017;5(1):62-65.
Editorial
Authors: Martin Paul Vincent
Published: June 2017

This edition brings together issues of natural resources, social dynamics and complex policy challenges. The specific issues and the ways in which they are being addressed vary greatly around the world. While water law varies in response to the unique legal, social and ecological challnges of each jurisdiction, there are over-arching challenges to the effective use of the law. Water governance and legal scholarship can provide new insights into ways to address these universal challenges.
Developments in Water Pollution Law and Policy in China: Effective Enough to Cope with Water Pollution Conflict?
Authors: Du Qun
Published: June 2017

Water pollution is one of the most serious environmental issues facing China. In 2005, an exceptionally serious water pollution accident in the Songhua River — caused by an unintended and sudden chemicals explosion — heralded an official recognition of a water pollution crisis in China. Although there have been new initiatives in national law and policy concerning water pollution that attempt to respond to issues of: social conflict caused by water pollution; government accountability; liability of polluting entities; and citizens’ rights in cases of water pollution, the challenges for the rule of environmental law in effectively reducing water pollution accidents and resolving water pollution conflict still exist. There is an urgent need to strengthen compliance and enforcement. This paper discusses the issues of water pollution conflict and the possible resolutions offered through law and policy.
Public on Paper: The Failure of Law to Protect Public Water Uses in the Western United States
Authors: Benson Reed D
Published: June 2017

Water conflicts in the western United States increasingly arise from competition between traditional economic uses (especially irrigation, municipal supply and hydropower) and public uses (especially environmental protection and water-based recreation). Western United States water law, based on the prior appropriation doctrine, has always promoted maximizing ‘beneficial use’ of the resource and has effectively protected water allocations for traditional purposes. Public water uses also enjoy some legal protection, but it exists mostly on paper; in practice, neither statutory public interest provisions nor the non-statutory public trust doctrine has been widely effective. This paper identifies the relevant legal principles and briefly explains how they have failed to protect public water uses in the western United States.
Property Rights in Water and Social Conflict: An Example from Iceland
Authors: Haradsdottir Kristin
Published: June 2017

Social conflict in Iceland over property rights in natural resources has prompted a call for the introduction of a provision into the Constitution of Iceland declaring natural resources ‘the property of the nation’. The paper explores the social conflict concerning property rights in water and, based on recent proposals and recommendations for Constitutional amendments, the possible implications of such a Constitutional provision in light of existing water rights and how it accommodates the considerations raised.
REDD+ and the Clean Development Mechanism: A comparative perspective
Authors: Bhullar Lovleen
Published: June 2017

The program, ‘Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation’ (REDD), which operates within the international climate change policy framework, is projected to emerge as one of the key climate change mitigation mechanisms for developing countries. The existing Afforestation/Reforestation (A/R) mechanism, operating under the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, may prove useful for drawing lessons for the emerging REDD program, since both mechanisms represent flexible means for developed countries to achieve compliance with their mitigation targets under the Kyoto Protocol. The possible means include CDM as the basis for a project-based approach for the implementation of REDD (if adopted) or the inclusion of REDD within CDM. This article compares the features of A/R CDM and REDD, identifies similarities and differences, and analyses the extent to which the former can provide guidance for the development of a carbon governance mechanism for REDD.
A survey of ASEAN instruments relating to peatlands, mangroves and other wetlands: The REDD+ context
Authors: Koh Kheng-Lian
Published: June 2017

Since the 13th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in November 2007, held in Singapore, ASEAN has accelerated its response to climate change issues, including REDD+ as a mechanism for climate change mitigation and adaptation, and to enhance conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. There are many wetlands in ASEAN including more than 25 million ha of peatlands spread over Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, Philippines, Vietnam and Lao PDR. The peatlands account for 60 per cent of global tropical peatland resources. They are of significance for sequestration of carbon. However, degraded wetlands, including peatlands, are also a major source of greenhouse gases contributing to global warming. Of the types of wetlands, ASEAN has focused attention predominantly on peatlands in relation to REDD+, mainly because of the ‘Indonesian Haze’. The Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Law (APCEL) organised a Workshop titled, REDD+ and Legal Regimes of Mangroves, Peatland and Other Wetlands: ASEAN and the World, in Singapore from 15-16 November 2012. The articles contained in this special themed edition of the International Journal of Rural Law and Policy (IJRLP) contains a selection of the papers presented. This editorial will provide a brief background to some aspects of REDD+. Included in this issue of IJRLP is a summary of the proceedings of the workshop as interpreted by the assigned rapporteur and editors of APCEL. These summaries were reviewed and approved by the presenters.
The implementation limitations of and alternative policy solutions for Indonesia's REDD+ program concerning peatland restoration
Authors: Guzick Sarah , Robinson Nicholas
Published: June 2017

Recent increases in global demand for palm oil have resulted in rapid, widespread deforestation in Indonesia, making Indonesia the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world. Although the Indonesian government has sought to pursue progressive environmental policies to curb deforestation, such as through REDD+, implementation has been hampered by legal loopholes, corruption and weak rule of law. This paper will examine two alternative carbon sequestration policies to REDD+: a drying up of the palm oil market and a buy-out of palm oil plantations.
Extending REDD+ to mangroves and wetlands for small island states and a case study for the conservation of mangroves and inter-tidal mudflats in Singapore
Authors: LYE Lin Heng , Dharmarajah Vinayagan
Published: June 2017

This paper briefly discusses the prospects of using coastal wetlands as REDD+ projects for small island states. The paper contends that the city-state of Singapore would do well to enhance existing laws to more specifically address the challenges and threats faced in conserving mangroves and inter-tidal mudflats, and support their conservation and rehabilitation, not just to facilitate the implementation of REDD+ projects but also to meet other goals like biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation. The proposal is to expand Sungei Buloh to encompass the mudflats at Kranji which is home to the mangrove horseshoe crab (Carcinoscrorpius rotundicauda); aligned with inter-tidal and coastal management strategies advanced under the auspices of the Ramsar Convention, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the IUCN. However, there are considerable challenges in maintaining an intact eco-system in the face of rapid development, not only in Singapore itself but also in the neighbouring state of Johor, Malaysia. The paper examines the specific legal strategies that will be required to meet the various objectives of conservation in the context of Singapore's laws and the challenges posed by the development plans of both Singapore and Malaysia.
REDD+ in the Philippines: Legal status and conservation of mangrove forests in the Philippines
Authors: Ramos Gloria Estenzo , Eisma Osorio Rose Liza
Published: June 2017

Mangroves perform a crucial role in maintaining the ecological integrity of the coastal ecosystem. They  act as filters in the coastal zone, preventing the damaging effects of upland sediments on seagrass beds and coral reefs, minimise the effects of storm surges and act as carbon sinks that mitigate climate change. These essential services, however, are degraded through indiscriminate cutting, conversion of mangrove swamps to fishponds, reclamation projects and other coastal developments and pollution. Experts reveal that the Indo-Malay Philippine Archipelago has one of the highest rates of mangroves loss. From an estimated 500,000 hectares of mangrove cover in 1918, only 120,000 hectares of mangroves remain in the Philippines today. The country has had the legal and policy framework to protect and conserve mangroves. But weak implementation of laws, overlapping functions among agencies and, in general, poor management by the people and local governments have hindered the sustainable management of mangrove forests. Positive developments, however, are taking place with the promulgation of laws on climate change and executive orders which specifically include mangrove and protected areas under the National Greening Program (NGP) and addresses equity, food security and poverty issues by giving preference to NGP beneficiary communities as a priority in the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Program.  Moreover, participatory Planning and Multi-stakeholder Approaches are among the strategies contemplated by the Philippine National REDD + Strategy. The article examines the implementation and effects of the Philippine National REDD+ Strategy, the National Climate Change Action Plan which specifically integrates REDD+ and ecosystem valuation into decision-making, and the executive orders which support the mainstreaming of the National Greening Program.
Tracking the Boom in Queensland’s Gasfields
Authors: Rifkin Will , Uhlmann Vikki , Everingham Jo-Anne , May Kylie
Published: June 2017

During rapid resource development in a highly contested arena, effective processes for characterising cumulative, social and economic impacts are needed. In this article, we explain a strategy that uses an iterative process involving stakeholders to identify indicators of impacts of onshore natural gas development. The aim of the strategy is to arrive at a small set of indicators that those in the community, government and industry agree are salient and credible.Four major joint ventures are investing more than A$60 billion to tap Queensland, Australia’s onshore natural gas resources. Thousands of wells are reaching into natural gas in seams of coal that lie below aquifers that residents refer to as essential for their heavily agricultural region. The magnitude of these developments has been depicted as threatening the traditional base of political power that has rested with farmers. Nearby coal mining has given some communities the experience of the boomtown cycle, but it is placing unfamiliar strains on municipal resources in other towns. Gas companies provide funds in attempts to mitigate impacts, satisfying requirements of their elaborate social impact management plans (SIMPs).The research reported in this paper, though only mid-way to completion, suggests that an action-research approach to developing indicators of cumulative impacts on housing, business, employment, liveability and trust in government shows promise for enabling stakeholders to track the multi-faceted effects of a resource boom.  We hope that such work helps stakeholders to mitigate the ups and downs of the cycle of boom, bust and recovery that can be driven by resource development.
If mining conflicts suppress the right of public participation, then can mining be sustainable?
Authors: Preston Judith
Published: June 2017

Mining of natural resources has surpassed agriculture as the basis for Australia’s economy; but at what cost? It is essential to Australia’s economic health to have access to a continuing income stream from a number of sources including minerals. However, there is a presumption – in both the political and resources sectors – that mining interests should trump all other interests, including social and environmental ones. A number of recent conflicts involving major mining projects in Australia and overseas have highlighted the fallacy of the claimed economic and social benefits, as well as the dangers to the community, the legal profession and the judiciary of suppressing public participation in the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process.Any actions by the executive to exclude public participation in reviewing documentation related to resource management and extractive developments by legislative or policy changes such as the proposed new planning legislation in NSW and the new mining State Environmental Planning Policy (Mining Petroleum, Production and Extractive Industries) Amendment (Resource Significance) 2013 (Amended Mining SEPP), are retrogressive steps. The argument in this paper is that, due to the often negative and large-scale impacts that mineral extraction developments may have on the community and the environment, mineral extraction developments should be subject to a rigorous EIA processes which incorporate effective and inclusive rights of public participation, especially in relation to major projects. Such rights should be enshrined in environmental legislation in the objects clause, standing for merit and judicial review provisions, and there should be a duty for the decision-makers to properly consider public submissions. Such provisions may lead to revision of the development or its outright rejection. Furthermore, innovative policies, programmes and legislative reform should be drafted to protect public participation and the right to oppose inappropriate developments.
Soil Governance: Accessing Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives
Authors: Howard Tanya Marjoram , Lawson Andrew
Published: June 2017

Soil provides the foundation for agricultural and environmental systems, and are subject to a complex governance regime of property rights and secondary impacts from industry and domestic land use. Complex natural resource management issues require approaches to governance that acknowledge uncertainty and complexity. Theories of next generation environmental governance assume that inclusion of diverse perspectives will improve reform directions and encourage behaviour change. This paper reports on a qualitative survey of an international workshop that brought together cross-disciplinary perspectives to address the challenges of soil governance. Results reveal the challenges of communicating effectively across disciplines. The findings suggest that strategies for improved soils governance must focus on increasing communications with community stakeholders and engaging land managers in designing shared governance regimes. The need for more conscious articulation of the challenges of cross-disciplinary environments is discussed and strategies for increasing research collaboration in soils governance are suggested. The identified need for more systematic approaches to cross-disciplinary learning, including reporting back of cross-disciplinary initiatives to help practitioners learn from past experience, forms part of the rationale for this paper.
Designing behaviourally informed policies for land stewardship: A new paradigm
Authors: Hine Don W , Crofts R , Becker John
Published: June 2017

This paper argues the case for a new approach to the stewardship of land resources that uses behavioural science theory to support the design and application of policies that facilitate changes in behaviour by those who develop policy and the farmers who implement it. Current approaches have: focused on legally-based expert system; and have been devised by national and international bureaucracies with little or no knowledge of how land owners and managers are motivated, and how they think, behave and operate as stewards of their natural resources. A review of current approaches from the social scientific literature is provided, with a particular focus on principles from social psychology. This is followed by an examination of how these principles can be applied to influence behaviour related to land restoration and soil conservation. Examples of the problems with traditional approaches and the evolution of new approaches with full engagement of farmers as the delivery agents are provided from within the European Union, Iceland and Scotland. In the light of these examples and emerging thinking in other parts of the world, the paper sets out the basis for a new approach based on behavioural science theory and application, reinforcing the arguments already made in the literature for a social license for farming.
Community implementation dynamics: Nutrient management in the New York City and Chesapeake Bay Watersheds
Authors: Sterner Glenn Earl , Bryant Ray , Kleinman Peter J A , Watson Jack , Alter Theodore R
Published: June 2017

The creation of natural resource management and conservation strategies can be affected by engagement with local citizens and competing interests between agencies and stakeholders at the varying levels of governance. This paper examines the role of local engagement and the interaction between governance levels on the outcomes of nutrient management policy, a specific area of natural resource conservation and management. Presented are two case studies of the New York City and Chesapeake Bay Watersheds in the US. These case studies touch upon the themes of local citizen engagement and governance stakeholder interaction in changing nutrient management to improve water quality. An analysis of these cases leads to several key considerations for the creation and implementation of nutrient management and natural resource management more broadly, including the importance of: local citizen engagement, government brokering and cost sharing; and the need of all stakeholders to respect each other in the policy creation and implementation process.
Editorial
Authors: Martin Paul Vincent , Arnalds Andres , Alter Ted
Published: June 2017

Because of the systemic connections between soils and many other issues, the attention that is actually paid to soil issues is far greater than is immediately apparent. In many countries, scientists, public servants and politicians are debating sequestration of carbon in soils, deforestation and other land management matters which impact the soil, the atmosphere and the human interests bound up in these.This special edition arose from a workshop held in Iceland in 2012, supported by the Australian Research Council and hosted by the Icelandic Soils Service. It brought together researchers and practitioners with expertise and interest in the human dimensions of natural resource governance. An aim was to generate fresh perspectives on how to govern human behaviour, to improve the sustainability and fairness of our use of the land. The team included experts and practitioners in soil issues, community engagement, psychology, sociology, economics, law and other disciplines from many countries. The papers in this special edition reflect issues that have also been canvassed in other investigations. These papers provide some different perspectives as well as reinforcing some common themes.
Business structures and sustainable regional legal practice: the use of incorporated legal practices by regional, rural and remote legal practitioners
Authors: Hart Caroline Lydia
Published: June 2017

Since 2007 the Legal Profession Act 2007 (Qld) has offered legal practitioners a wider choice of business structure other than sole practitioner or partnership, to include incorporated legal practice ('ILP') or multidisciplinary partnership. In particular the use of ILPs offers legal practitioners a range of benefits in terms of operating a law firm consistent with business management practices. The status of ILP however comes at a cost of putting in place 'appropriate management systems'. This paper refers to the legislation and the literature on the range of business structures, before giving an insight into the actual choice of business structures used by Queensland regional, rural and remote legal practitioners. What is the awareness of the new business structures? And are there factors inhibiting RRR legal practitioners from their use? This paper draws on over 30 interviews with sole practitioners, partners and legal practitioner directors about their choice of business structure.
Mining, regional Australia and the economic multiplier
Authors: Cleary Paul
Published: June 2017

Mining in Australia has traditionally delivered a strong development multiplier for regional communities where most mines are based. This relationship has weakened in recent decades as a result of the introduction of mobile workforces - typically known as fly in, fly out. Political parties have responded with policies known as ‘royalties for regions’, though in designing them they overlooked long established Indigenous arrangements for sharing benefits with areas affected directly by mining.