bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Potential of colonoscopy as a treatment for intussusception in children
Authors: Tafner Edmar , Tafner Philipe , Mittledorf Cornelius , Pinhata Jose , Silva Ana , Pilli Simone , da Silva José , Hassegawa Renato , Maruta Luis , Christiano Celso , Andrada Lincoln
Published: November 2017

Background and study aims Invagination, which can occur in any part of the intestine, usually affects children and is the second most common cause of intestinal obstruction after pyloric stenosis. The cause of these intussusceptions in children is usually unknown and they typically occur within the ileocolic region. Management of pediatric patients with the condition often consists of surgical intervention. However, this retrospective study from the University Hospital of the University of São Paulo, Brazil, reports a series of cases of intussusception in children in whom a colonoscopy was used to reverse the intussusception.

Patients and methods From April 2010 to January 2015, 30 pediatric patients underwent a colonoscopy as an noninvasive method for treatment of children’s intestinal intussusception.

Results Overall, treatment with colonoscopy was successful in reversing invagination in 66.7 % of the patients. However, 33.3 % of patients required surgery to resolve the intussusception.

Conclusion Noninvasive colonoscopy is a potential treatment for intussusception in children.
Gesundheitscoach – Niedrigschwellige Begleitung von psychisch belasteten Arbeitslosengeld II Empfängern: Darstellung des Gütersloher Pilotprojekts
Authors: Wabnitz Pascal , Hemkendreis Bruno , Ostermann Silke , Kronmüller Klaus-Thomas , Erdsiek Rolf , Nienaber André
Published: November 2017

Ziel der Studie Psychische Belastungen bei Arbeitssuchenden sind häufig und können bei den Betroffenen zu Beeinträchtigungen in unterschiedlichen Lebensbereichen führen. Programme zur Unterstützung Betroffener, v. a. von Langzeitarbeitslosen, erfahren in jüngster Zeit zunehmend Beachtung. Vorbehalte sowie strukturelle Barrieren stellen jedoch Hindernisse für deren Inanspruchnahme dar. Im Folgenden wird ein Kooperationsprojekt zwischen einem Jobcenter und einer psychiatrischen Klinik mit dem Ziel der niedrigschwelligen Begleitung und etwaigen Weitervermittlung psychisch belasteter Langzeitarbeitsloser vorgestellt und die Evaluation des Projektes beschrieben.

Methodik Darstellung des methodischen und klinischen Vorgehens sowie der Evaluation der Pilotphase.

Ergebnisse In den ersten 12 Monaten konnten insgesamt 57 Arbeitslosengeld-II (ALG-II) Empfänger im Rahmen des Projektes begleitet werden. Die psychische Belastung der Teilnehmenden war hoch und entspricht der bisherigen Datenlage. Die niedrigschwellige Begleitung wurde gut angenommen und führte bei einem Großteil der Teilnehmenden (n=37) zu einer Weitervermittlung in das Gesundheitssystem.

Schlussfolgerung Psychische Belastungen bei Arbeitssuchenden sind häufig und können bei den Betroffenen zu erheblichen Einschränkungen in unterschiedlichen Lebensbereichen führen. Bestehende Angebote der Gesundheitsversorgung zielen bisher zu wenig auf diese Gruppe und erreichen die Betroffenen nicht. Niedrigschwellige Unterstützungs- und Beratungsangebote sind gut geeignet, um möglichen Barrieren der Inanspruchnahme auf Seite der Betroffenen und des Versorgungsystems entgegenzuwirken und Betroffenen die Aufnahme einer bedarfsgerechten, psychosozialen Versorgung zu ermöglichen.
Effect of Diabetes on the Assessment Role of 2-Oxoglutarate to the Severity of Chronic Heart Failure
Authors: Chen Pingan , Hou Lina , Luo Yishan , Chen Lushan , Li Shaonan , Lei Xiaoming , Huang Jiankai , Wu Daihong
Published: November 2017

Background Serum 2-oxoglutarate can reflect the severity of chronic heart failure (CHF) in patients without diabetes. Whether this predictive role persists in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients is unclear. In this study, we investigated this predictive role in T2DM patients and whether 2-oxoglutarate can indicate the diastolic or systolic function of left ventricle.

Methods One hundred eighty CHF patients (76 with T2DM) and 66 healthy controls were studied. 2-Oxoglutarate was assayed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry. Echocardiographic parameters, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and other parameters were measured.

Results 2-Oxoglutarate was increased in CHF patients with or without T2DM compared with controls (both P<0.01). Patients with a lower left ventricular ejection fraction or a higher NT-proBNP or left ventricular end-diastolic volume index had higher levels of 2-oxoglutarate (median, 18.77 μg/mL versus 11.25 μg/mL; median, 14.06 µg/ml versus 9.39 µg/ml; median, 18.06 µg/mL versus 11.60 µg/mL, all P<0.05) in nondiabetic patients but not in T2DM patients. In multiple logistic regression analysis, NT-proBNP (OR=3.445, 95% CI=1.098 to 10.816, P=0.034) and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (OR=2.544, 95% CI=1.033 to 6.268, P=0.042) were independently associated with increased 2-oxoglutarate in nondiabetic patients.

Conclusions The levels of 2-oxoglutarate can reflect the clinical severity of CHF in nondiabetic patients but not in those with T2DM, and it can be used as a potential indicator of the systolic dysfunction of the left ventricle.
The Effects of Flaxseed Oil Omega-3 Fatty Acids Supplementation on Metabolic Status of Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Mirmasoumi Golara , Fazilati Mohammad , Foroozanfard Fatemeh , Vahedpoor Zahra , Mahmoodi Samaneh , Taghizadeh Mohsen , Esfeh Nazanin Kazemi , Mohseni Maryam , Karbassizadeh Hassan , Asemi Zatollah
Published: November 2017

Objective This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of flaxseed oil omega-3 fatty acids supplementation on metabolic status of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Methods This randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted on 60 women with PCOS according to the Rotterdam criteria aged 18–40 years old. Participants were randomly assigned into two groups to receive either 1,000 mg flaxseed oil omega-3 fatty acids (n=30) or placebo (n=30) twice a day for 12 weeks. Metabolic, endocrine, inflammatory factors were quantified at baseline and after the 12-week intervention.

Results After the 12-week intervention, compared to the placebo, flaxseed oil omega-3 supplementation significantly decreased insulin values (−2.6±7.7 vs.+1.3±3.9 µIU/mL, P=0.01), homeostasis model of assessment-estimated insulin resistance (−0.7±1.7 vs.+0.3±0.9, P=0.01), mF-G scores (−1.2±1.7 vs. -0.1±0.4, P=0.001), and increased quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (+0.01±0.02 vs. −0.01±0.02, P=0.01). In addition, supplementation with flaxseed oil omega-3 resulted in significant decreases in serum triglycerides (−5.1±20.9 vs.+9.7±26.1 mg/dL, P=0.01), VLDL-cholesterol (−1.0±4.2 vs.+1.9±5.2 mg/dL, P=0.01) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (−1.6±3.1 vs.+0.2±1.5 mg/L, P=0.004) compared to the placebo. We did not see any significant effect of flaxseed oil omega-3 supplementation on hormonal and other lipid profiles, and plasma nitric oxide levels.

Conclusions Overall, flaxseed oil omega-3 supplementation for 12 weeks in women with PCOS had beneficial effects on insulin metabolism, mF-G scores, serum triglycerides, VLDL-cholesterol and hs-CRP levels, but did not affect hormonal and other lipid profiles, and plasma nitric oxide levels.
Direct-acting antiviral agents in the treatment of chronic Hepatitis C – “Real-life” experience from an academic centre and two specialized clinical practices
Authors: Groß Manuel , Härter Georg , Backhus Johanna , Zizer Eugen , Seufferlein Thomas , Ludwig Leopold , Dikopoulos Nektarios
Published: November 2017

The introduction of the new direct antiviral agents has revolutionized the therapy of chronic hepatitis C. Today we are able to cure the vast majority of our patients with an 8- to 12-week therapy course of an antiviral combination therapy with an excellent safety profile. Real-life data are very important to further develop our experience with the new therapeutics and help us to improve the care of our patients in our everyday clinical practice.

In our study, we present the retrospective analysis of a representative German cohort of 344 patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with the new direct antiviral agents. The patients were recruited in an academic center of southern Germany (University Clinic of Ulm, Clinic of Internal Medicine I) and in 2 highly specialized clinical practices in the city center and the near region of Ulm. Within this in-detail characterized study cohort, we analyzed the efficacy and safety of antiviral therapy under real-life conditions.

In 322 patients, we could document SVR12 data and found an excellent overall SVR12 rate of 97.8 % across all genotypes. In more detail, we could show comparable SVR12 results of 99 % and 99.2 % in patients with the hepatitis C virus subtypes 1a and 1b of and an excellent SVR12 rate of 93.1 % in genotype 3 patients without liver cirrhosis. Nevertheless, SVR12 rates tend to be lower in patients with the presence of liver cirrhosis, especially in genotype 3 patients with the lowest SVR12 rate in the whole study group of only 80 %. In general, there were no major safety issues except of 1 patient treated with a protease-inhibitor-based regimen who developed a generalized skin reaction and needed hospitalization and premature end of antiviral therapy.

In summary, our analysis of this well characterized representative cohort of 344 patients adds more information in the field of real-life experience with the new antiviral therapeutics and could therefore contribute to improve the care of our patients. Together with the existing real-life data, we now can proceed in achieving the aim of viral eradication of hepatitis C virus within our population.
The accretion of the new ice layer on the surface of hexagonal ice crystal and the influence of the local electric field on this process
Authors: Grabowska Joanna , Kuffel Anna , Zielkiewicz Jan
Published: November 2017

The process of creation of a new layer of ice on the basal plane and on the prism plane of a hexagonal ice crystal is analyzed. It is demonstrated that the ordering of water molecules in the already existing crystal affects the freezing. On the basal plane, when the orientations of water molecules in the ice block are random, the arrangement of the new layer in a cubic manner is observed more frequently—approximately 1.7 times more often than in a hexagonal manner. When the water molecules in the ice block are more ordered, it results in the predominance of the oxygen atoms or the hydrogen atoms on the most outer part of the surface of the ice block. In this case, the hexagonal structure is formed more frequently when the supercooling of water exceeds 10 K. This phenomenon is explained by the influence of the oriented electric field, present as a consequence of the ordering of the dipoles of water molecules in the ice block. This field modifies the structure of solvation water (i.e., the layer of water in the immediate vicinity of the ice surface). We showed that the structure of solvation water predetermines the kind of the newly created layer of ice. This effect is temperature-dependent: when the temperature draws nearer to the melting point, the cubic structure becomes the prevailing form. The temperature at which the cubic and the hexagonal structures are formed with the same probabilities is equal to about 260 K. In the case of the prism plane, the new layer that is formed is always the hexagonal one, which is independent of the arrangement of water molecules in the ice block and is in agreement with previous literature data. For the basal plane, as well as for the prism plane, no evident dependence on the ordering of water molecules that constitute the ice block on the rate of crystallization can be observed.
Ag nanocluster-based color converters for white organic light-emitting devices
Authors: Nishikitani Yoshinori , Takizawa Daisuke , Uchida Soichi , Lu Yue , Nishimura Suzushi , Oyaizu Kenichi , Nishide Hiroyuki
Published: November 2017

The authors present Ag nanocluster-based color converters (Ag NC color converters), which convert part of the blue light from a light source to yellow light so as to create white organic light-emitting devices that could be suitable for lighting systems. Ag NCs synthesized by poly(methacrylic acid) template methods have a statistical size distribution with a mean diameter of around 4.5 nm, which is larger than the Fermi wavelength of around 2 nm. Hence, like free electrons in metals, the Ag NC electrons are thought to form a continuous energy band, leading to the formation of surface plasmons by photoexcitation. As for the fluorescence emission mechanism, the fact that the photoluminescence is excitation wavelength dependent suggests that the fluorescence originates from surface plasmons in Ag NCs of different sizes. By using Ag NC color converters and suitable blue light sources, white organic light-emitting devices can be fabricated based on the concept of light-mixing. For our blue light sources, we used polymer light-emitting electrochemical cells (PLECs), which, like organic light-emitting diodes, are area light sources. The PLECs were fabricated with a blue fluorescent π-conjugated polymer, poly[(9,9-dihexylfluoren-2,7-diyl)-co-(anthracen-9,10-diyl)] (PDHFA), and a polymeric solid electrolyte composed of poly(ethylene oxide) and KCF3SO3. In this device structure, the Ag NC color converter absorbs blue light from the PDHFA-based PLEC (PDHFA-PLEC) and then emits yellow light. When the PDHFA-PLEC is turned on by applying an external voltage, pure white light emission can be produced with Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage coordinates of (x = 0.32, y = 0.33) and a color rendering index of 93.6. This study shows that utilization of Ag NC color converters and blue PLECs is a very promising and highly effective method for realizing white organic light-emitting devices.
Characterization of periodic extreme ultraviolet multilayer based on multi-objective evolutionary algorithm
Authors: Kuang Shang-qi , Gong Xue-peng , Yang Hai-gui
Published: November 2017

In order to refine the layered structure of extreme ultraviolet multilayers, a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm which is post-hybridized with the standard Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm is applied to analyze the grazing incidence X-ray reflectivity (GIXR) and the normal incidence extreme ultraviolet reflectance (EUVR). In this procedure, the GIXR data and EUVR data are simultaneously fitted as two objectives, and the high sensitivities of these two sets of data to layer thicknesses and densities are combined. This set of mathematical procedures is conducive to obtain a more correct model of periodic multilayers which can simultaneously describe both GIXR and EUVR measurements. As a result, the layered structure of Mo/Si multilayers with a period of about 7.0 nm is obtained.
Strong influence of polaron-polaron interaction on the magnetoresistance effect in La0.7A0.3MnO3 thin films
Authors: Zhang Haijuan , Wang Kuidong , Zhang Yuanyuan , Dong Wenxia , Chen Long , Tang Xiaodong , Chen Jie
Published: November 2017

The colossal magnetoresistance effect endows La0.7A0.3MnO3 manganites distinctive fascination. Both theoretical and experimental studies demonstrated that the interplay among polarons could significantly influence magnetoresistance. However, the underlying microscopic mechanism of the influence remains elusive due to the lack of experimental evidences. Utilizing ultrafast optical spectroscopy to track the polaron dynamics around Curie temperatures, we observed a diverse two-step recovery process in three sibling manganite thin films with various magnetoresistance effects and Curie temperatures, while the slow step was proposed to be the formation evolution of correlated polarons through the polaron-polaron interaction. Polarons in La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 equilibrate much faster than those in La0.7(Ca0.58Sr0.42)0.3MnO3 and La0.7Sr0.3MnO3, indicating a comparatively tighter interaction between polarons and subsequently a stronger magnetoresistance effect.
Characteristics of InN epilayers grown with H2-assistance
Authors: Zhou Jin , Li Jinchai , Lu Shiqiang , Kang Junyong , Lin Wei
Published: November 2017

A series of InN films were grown on GaN-on-sapphire template with H2 pulse flow by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy. The scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy observations demonstrate that the smooth surface has been achieved. The X-ray diffraction and Raman spectra measurements indicate that InN layers experience stronger accommodated compressive stress, resulting in a larger fraction of (002) oriented InN grains. On the basics of the first-principles calculations, these features can be understand as competition between N-penetrating effect with the assistance of the H atom and the etching effect of H2. Finally, the absorption spectra in conjunction with simulated results reveal that the band gap energy predominantly increase with increasing compressive strain.
Reconstructing Western Australian white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) catches based on interviews with fishers
Authors: Taylor S. M. , Braccini J. M. , Bruce B. D. , McAuley R. B.
Published: November 2017

The assessment of fisheries-related effects on protected species, such as white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias), is often hampered by a lack of historical catch information. In the present study, historical catch estimates derived from interviews with fishers operating in the Western Australian Temperate Demersal Gill-net and Demersal Longline Fisheries were matched with fishing effort data reported in statutory fishing returns. Catch estimates obtained from interviewed fishers were extrapolated to account for total catch in two different ways, resulting in mean (95% confidence intervals) estimates of 1232 (476–2245) and 1039 (505–2096) white sharks caught between 1988 and 2012. These estimates were then used to reconstruct catches over a 59-year period, from the start of commercial gillnetting in the mid-1950s. The reconstructed catch trend reflected the history of gill-net fishing effort, peaking in the late 1980s at a level approximately fourfold greater than the estimated catch of ~30 sharks year–1 in 2014. More than one-third of fishers interviewed expressed doubts about the accuracy of self-reported white shark catch data, a requirement of current legislation. Given the benefits of reporting data from protected species bycatch, efforts to accurately record this information should be continued and improved.
The Fishery Resources of the Mississippi River: A Model for Conservation and Management
Authors: Schramm Harold L.
Published: November 2017

The Mississippi River is a multijurisdictional and multiuse resource that has been variously altered and is foremost managed for navigation and flood control throughout much of its 3,734-km passage from its origin at Lake Itasca, Minnesota, to its outlet at the Gulf of Mexico. Despite alterations summarized herein, the native fish fauna remains largely intact and only five nonnative species have colonized segments of the river. Diverse habitats still remain, but loss of habitat, declining habitat suitability, and reduced floodplain functionality warrant concern. Fisheries monitoring and assessment, ecological research, and habitat rehabilitation vary from adequate in the upper reaches of the river to minimal in the lower reaches of the river, and these efforts parallel the recreational use, local values, and visibility of the river. A conceptual model is proposed to depict the value of the social, economic, and many ecosystem services the Mississippi River ecosystem offers that can be used to achieve the social and economic support needed to conserve and restore this valuable fishery resource.
Fish Bioenergetics 4.0: An R-Based Modeling Application
Authors: Deslauriers David , Chipps Steven R. , Breck James E. , Rice James A. , Madenjian Charles P.
Published: November 2017

Bioenergetics modeling is a widely used tool in fisheries management and research. Although popular, currently available software (i.e., Fish Bioenergetics 3.0) has not been updated in over 20 years and is incompatible with newer operating systems (i.e., 64-bit). Moreover, since the release of Fish Bioenergetics 3.0 in 1997, the number of published bioenergetics models has increased appreciably from 56 to 105 models representing 73 species. In this article, we provide an overview of Fish Bioenergetics 4.0 (FB4), a newly developed modeling application that consists of a graphical user interface (Shiny by RStudio) combined with a modeling package used in the R computing environment. While including the same capabilities as previous versions, Fish Bioenergetics 4.0 allows for timely updates and bug fixes and can be continuously improved based on feedback from users. In addition, users can add new or modified parameter sets for additional species and formulate and incorporate modifications such as habitat-dependent functions (e.g., dissolved oxygen, salinity) that are not part of the default package. We hope that advances in the new modeling platform will attract a broad range of users while facilitating continued application of bioenergetics modeling to a wide spectrum of questions in fish biology, ecology, and management.
The Production of Trust in Different Political and Economic Systems: A Comparision of Communist and Liberal Democratic Models
Authors: Misztal Barbara A
Published: November 2017

“Man can realize his political freedom only through his own action, by determining the aim and method of political power…Thus the democratic political system is the only one which institutionalizes the activist element of political freedom” (Neumenn 1957: 186)
Chronic illness: an organisational perspective long overdue
Authors: Vickers Margaret
Published: November 2017

This paper examines the largely under-researched area of management attitudes toward chronically ill and disabled persons in the workplace and argues that it is a matter of urgency for management to consider the legal, sociological and economic ramifications of recent legislative moves which seek to protect the rights of such citizens. The issues of power, group behaviour and discrimination are explored, as is society's treatment of so- called ‘deviants’ in the population. Myths about the disabled in the workplace are critiqued. Issues canvassed here arise at a time when legislative and societal pressure demands change both in thought and in deed, particularly among human resource managers in the public and private sector.
ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) Exploring the Limits
Authors: Collins Andrew
Published: November 2017

This paper examines the recently created ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) to determine its effectiveness as a means of promoting greater economic cooperation within ASEAN and protecting the ASEAN states' trade interests. Reasons given for the formation of AFTA, previous attempts at regional cooperation and the terms of AFTA itself will be examined. The problems faced in implementing the agreement will be considered and the question of the utility of the agreement as a means of promoting the trade interests of the ASEAN states will be addressed. The paper will argue that whilst AFTA serves some useful purposes the overall utility of the agreement is limited as it does not reflect the true boundaries of the economic region in which the ASEAN states operate.
Trade Unions—Enterprise Bargaining and Control at Work Evidence From The First Wave of Enterprise Agreements
Authors: Boreham Paul , Hall Richard , Harley Bill , Whitehouse Gillian
Published: November 2017

Since the articulation of the Enterprise Bargaining principle by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission in 1991, and the reforms to the Industrial Relations Act passed in 1994, the pace of industrial relations deregulation in Australia has quickened considerably. This paper explores some of the characteristics of the first wave of enterprise bargains with particular reference to the role of trade unions in mediating the enterprise bargaining process and the results of workplace change. Following the claims of many in the federal government, the trade union movement and employer groups, we consider the extent to which enterprise bargaining has facilitated greater labour flexibility and employee participation in workplace decision-making using original data drawn from a survey of the first wave of federally and state registered enterprise agreements. In particular, we examine whether level of unionisation in specific workplaces appears to malre a dilference to the negotiatim of several key aspects of control and discretion at work. We consider whether unions appear to make a difference to the ways in which employment conditions are determined at the workplace, the way in which changes to work organisation are negotiated, the means by which employees are consulted through the change process, the level of employee involvement in decision-making and the methods by which pay is determined. On the basis of the survey evidence, we conclude that union presence and density appears to affect the results of enterprise bargaining especially with respect to matters of workplace control and the exercise of managerial prerogative at work.
The Concrete Ceiling—A Sympathetic View of a Waste of Talent
Authors: Woldring Klaas
Published: November 2017

The chances of candidates of ‘ethnic’ origin (Non-English Speaking Background—NESB) being appointed to managerial and executive positions in Australia's larger corporations appear to be minimal when compared to Anglo-Australians. The underrepresentation of such persons at executive levels in corporate Australia is nearly as serious as that of talented women. The phenomenon of the ‘Concrete Ceiling’ is much less researched than that of the ‘Glass Ceiling’. Twenty years of multiculturalism seems to have had little influence in eroding the concrete ceiling which sees the status of migrant's qualifications, especially those of professionals, deemed of lower quality when compared to Australian equivalents. Highly qualified migrants therefore achieved lower earnings and, in the recession, are experiencing higher levels of unemployment. Their chances of entry into senior managerial positions are thereby further reduced.
Bargaining or Bludgeoning? Compulsory Tendering and Enterprise Bargaining in Victoria
Authors: Russell Elizabeth , O'Reilly Frances
Published: November 2017

Compulsory competitive tendering is primarily concerned with creating a more competitive, open, market in areas of service provision which may previously have been closed. This may be perceived exclusively in terms of efficiency and efforts to standardise service provision within specific sectors across government (or other) boundaries. Alternatively, it may be viewed as a reconfiguration in government-citizen power relations. Similarly, enterprise bargaining may be considered something of a free market approach to collective labour forces. Equally, it may be seen to present alternative relations between citizens, state and federal governments, agencies and apparatuses. In each instance, changes in conceptions and activities of citizens and state instruments are becoming apparent Most notably the fundamental issues of public and social policy—rights, responsibilities and rewards—are being redefined and allocated according to new criteria and conditions.
Political Developments in the Post-Deng Era and their Impact on China's Relations with Taiwan and Hong Kong
Authors: Cheng Joseph Y S
Published: November 2017

Indicators suggest that the post-Deng era and the associated leadership succession process have already begun. While the probability of chaos and the splitting up of the country after Deng is not high, control in the ideological arena will likely be tightened. After his electoral victory Lee Teng-hui will initiate measures to improve relations with Beijing and to reduce tension across the Taiwan Strait, leading to direct mail, trade and transport. But Lee will not give up his pragmatic diplomacy which will further provoke Beijing. The Chinese leadership's major difficulty is that it has upped the ante a number of times, and has no results to show to facilitate its climb down the ladder of escalation. With the approach of 1997, the Chinese authorities' influence on Hong Kong has become increasingly significant. The community reluctantly accepts the lack of consultation. About 1.2 million people, however, have the opportunity to emigrate and they adopt a wait-and-see attitude. Meanwhile, economic integration between the territory and southern China has made much progress.
State theory and the origins of federal arbitration legislation in Australia
Authors: Treuren Gerrit
Published: November 2017

Current accounts of the origins of Australian federal compulsory arbitration present contradictory or inadequate explanations of the array of social forces leading to the 1904 Conciliation and Arbitration Act. Using a methodology based on Skocpol and Aglietta, key issues of Australian arbitration are preliminarily identified through the application of an ideal type explanation of arbitration provided by Macintyre, Patmore and Bennett, set against the analytical lens of four central perspectives within the state theory literature. Using a methodology based on Skocpol and Aglietta, this paper considers the ideal-type explanation of Australian arbitration provided by Macintyre, Patmore and Bennet. By comparing this conception through the analytical lens of pluralist, structuralist, class struggle and state centred perspectives of state behaviour, significant issues of the origins of Australian arbitration can be identified. This paper identifies areas and issues for future research.
To see “Oursels” As Others See Us! Images of Australia in Papua New Guinea
Authors: Smyth Rosalind , Burdess Neil
Published: November 2017

Gareth Evans has spelled out the importance of national image: ‘The images which others carry of us influence their attitudes towards us, our own security requirements, the export of our goods and services, and our appeal as a place to invest in, to migrate to, and visit’. However, there is very little information about Australia's national image in the South Pacific. This paper is intended to help fill this gap. It is based on a survey of those people most likely to be leaders in Papua New Guinea in the medium term, students at the University of PNG. Overall, nearly three-quarters of respondents had favourable feelings about Australia. Australians were seen as friendly and hard-working with a love of sport. While many thought the influence of Australia in PNG was too high, nevertheless the majority saw it as a way of helping reduce local corruption and inefficiency. However, these very positive impressions have to be weighed against the perception that many Australians are racist. Overall, the key to building good relations with PNG is likely to lie in a strengthening of Australia's declining interpersonal ties, possibly through the establishment of a bilateral foundation.
The Ghosts of Dead Economists Marshall, Keynes and the Political Economy of National Accounting
Authors: Ogle Greg
Published: November 2017

The national accounts officially define what we mean by ‘the economy’, but it is not a definition innocent of political power or consequence. In the 300 years of development of national accounting two historic moments can be identified in which the accounts took on the particular form which they retain. The neo-classical moment at the end of last century defined the central concept of production. The Keynesian moment in the middle of this century defined a specifically national economy in terms of consumption, investment and government aggregates. The accounts are haunted by the ghosts of Marshall and Keynes and ‘the economy’ is a reification of Keynesian and neo-classical economic theories. This has important consequences. Competing definitions and measures of the economy, like that raised by feminism, are subordinated. Additionally, contemporary political-economic debates are constructed according to the concerns of neo-classical and Keynesian economic theory—and the policy outcomes are conditioned by that construction.
Whither Nationalism in the Philippines? The Political Challenge of the Globalising Age
Authors: Weekley Kathleen
Published: November 2017

This article argues that twentieth century modernist nationalism can no longer be a political strategy for the Filipino left because it rests on the obliteration of differences. Rethinking old-style anti-imperialism will force the left to recognise the state as a key site of political struggle and also to understand that ethnic, class and other social cleavages are not transcended via a ‘national’ imaginary except through the use of violence. Moreover, in the 1990s as states band together in regional blocs, critics of contemporary capitalism in the Asia-Pacific would do well to pursue a radical democratic rather than nationalist agenda. I argue that the Philippine state's relative historical lack of success in hegemonic nation-building, along with a recently reinvigorated democratic impulse, offer the Filipino left a unique opportunity to lead a popular campaign for a new regional identity—one committed to democratic principles rather than exclusivist notions of ‘national belonging.’ Such popular interpretations are necessary to subvert other putative transnational discourses such as ‘Asian values.’
Irreconcilable Environmental Reform Agendas: A Case Study of Changing Character of Environmental Conflict in Queensland, 1965–1995
Authors: Eddy Elizabeth
Published: November 2017

In the lead-up to the 1989 Queensland state elections, conservationists and the Labor Party in Opposition had seemingly developed a common approach to environmental policy reforms proposals, involving improved planning and community consultation. However, upon winning government at these elections, the Labor Government was increasingly criticised by the conservation movement and received uncharacteristically ambivalent support during the 1995 election campaign. This ambivalence is largely due to the unrecognised conflicting purposes underlying the reform proposals. For conservationists, the reform program was intended, firstly, as a democratisation of the environmental policy process, and secondly, as a means of reconciling social, economic, and environmental objectives without compromising the environment. For governments, backed by the business sector, the reform program aimed to improve prospects for economic growth through improved management of resources and channelling expressions of public dissent harmlessly into the agendas established by the government. This approach can be understood as a neo-corporatist strategy aiming to deal with accumulation and legitimation problems experienced by many contemporary liberal democratic states.
The Problematic Use of the Concepts of Empowerment, Responsibility and Innocence in Child Protection Programs
Authors: Bambacas Christyana
Published: November 2017

The academic literature on child sexual abuse reveals that since the 1980's there has been a focus upon studies of prevention programmes such as the protective behaviours programmes. These programmes are aimed at children and advocate the importance of teaching them appropriate responses to threatening situations such as sexual, emotional, physical abuse and domestic violence. Sexual abuse is one among several forms of abuse that children are being schooled in self protection. Taught at primary schools the programs are presented as plays, storytelling, role playing and games which seek to emphasise the sexual abuse component of the protective behaviour. In particular they aim to inform children how to identify inappropriate sexual behaviour by adults, to recognise ‘good’ and ‘bad’ touching. They also aim to encourage children to respond to the behaviour by saying ‘no’ and finally to confide in a ‘trusted’ adult of any attempted or actual abuse.
Effective Advertising Self-Regulation
Authors: Harker Debra , Graham Peter
Published: November 2017

On a global scale, the advertising industry spends billions of dollars each year reaching and persuading its target markets through daily bombardment of thousands of advertisements in most developed countries. However, when advertising offends, misleads, or is untruthful, a structure needs to be in place in order to provide protection to all parties and, in most cases, a country's legal system is complemented by a self-regulatory scheme. Australia's scheme was dismantled at the end of 1996 and is currently in a state of flux as the industry formulates and introduces a new system. This breakdown of one of the world's longest established advertising self-regulatory programs in Australia has reopened the twenty year old debate that has taken place in the leading journals concerned with improving the effectiveness of such systems. This article builds on the work of researchers who have provided seven tests, five activities, five recommendations, six tasks, and fifteen rules that should be applied to guide advertisers in developing effective advertising self-regulation programs.
Southern NGOs and the Internet: Empowerment or Enslavement?
Authors: Vas Dev Sanjugta , Schech Susanne
Published: November 2017

This paper explores the implications of Information Communication Technology (ICT) adoption amongst southern based advocacy oriented non government organisations (NGOs). The current debate suggests that ICTs hold promise of empowerment for such NGOs, but also threats of enslavement. A significant portion of this paper concentrates on the World Development Report 1998/99, which deals with some of these issues, and on the World Bank's InfoDev initiative, which promotes the use of ICTs In development contexts. What are the effects of NGOs' increasing reliance on donor agencies, such as the World Bank, to finance their connection to the Internet? It is suggested that these NGOs face Important issues of identity and accountability.
Fundamental Dilemmas in British and Australian Educational Policy: The Implications of Geoffrey Partington's Teacher Education in England and Wales
Authors: Wintrop Norman
Published: November 2017

The article examines Geoffrey Partington's (1999a) study of teacher education in England and Wales, concentrating on (1) Partington's conception of education as a contestable idea and project, which he uses to evaluate school teaching, teacher education and national educational policy; (2) his distinction between the Old and the New Left, on which he grounds his critique of recent leftist educational theory and practice; (3) what he regards as the disgraceful condition of school teaching and teacher education in Britain in the 1960s and 1970s; (4) the debates and conflicts over the educational policies of the 1979–1997 Conservative governments; and (5) his reflections on the effects of these policies and the way ahead. In the article's final section I assess the book's analysis and draw conclusions from it on the dilemmas which confront the educators, governments and citizens of Britain, Australia and other democratic nations.
Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) POSITION STATEMENT: Why IDSA Did Not Endorse the Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines
Authors:   IDSA Sepsis Task Force, Kalil Andre C , Gilbert David N , Winslow Dean L , Masur Henry , Klompas Michael
Published: November 2017

The Infectious Diseases Society of America elected not to endorse the Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines due to lack of agreement with the Society of Critical Care Medicine regarding specific recommendations related to diagnosis and therapy for patients with apparent or documented sepsis/septic shock.
A structured training program for minimally invasive esophagectomy for esophageal cancer— a Delphi consensus study in Europe
Authors: Visser E , van Rossum P S N , van Veer H , Al-Naimi K , Chaudry M A , Cuesta M A , Gisbertz S S , Gutschow C A , Hölscher A H , Luyer M D P , Mariette C , Moorthy K , Nieuwenhuijzen G A P , Nilsson M , Räsänen J V , Schneider P M , Schröder W , Cheong E , van Hillegersberg R
Published: November 2017

Evidence suggests that structured training programs for laparoscopic procedures can ensure a safe standard of skill acquisition prior to independent practice. Although minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIO) is technically demanding, no consensus on requirements for training for the MIO procedure exists. The aim of this study is to determine essential steps required for a structured training program in MIO using the Delphi consensus methodology. Eighteen MIO experts from 13 European hospitals were asked to participate in this study. The consensus process consisted of two structured meetings with the expert panel, and two Delphi questionnaire rounds. A list of items required for training MIO were constructed for three key domains of MIO, including (1) requisite criteria for units wishing to be trained and (2) to proctor MIO, and (3) a framework of a MIO training program. Items were rated by the experts on a scale 1–5, where 1 signified ‘not important’ and 5 represented ‘very important.’ Consensus for each domain was defined as achieving Cronbach alpha ≥0.70. Items were considered as fundamental when ≥75% of experts rated it important (4) or very important (5). Both Delphi rounds were completed by 16 (89%) of the 18 invited experts, with a median experience of 18 years with minimally invasive surgery. Consensus was achieved for all three key domains. Following two rounds of a 107-item questionnaire, 50 items were rated as essential for training MIO. A consensus among European MIO experts on essential items required for training MIO is presented. The identified items can serve as directive principles and core standards for creating a comprehensive training program for MIO.
International Treaty-Making and Treaty Implementation
Authors: Cyr Hugo , de Mestral Armand
Published: November 2017

This chapter discusses the difficult questions surrounding treaties in Canadian constitutional law. The first part examines treaty-making powers, in particular, the lack of explicit constitutional provisions which outline how, and who, may enter into treaties under Canadian federalism. Under the current Canadian modus vivendi the federal government is the entity which exercises foreign relations, including treaty-making. However, Canadian foreign relations are rich and complex, and all provinces engage in some way in foreign relations—with Ottawa’s explicit or tacit consent—particularly through the use of administrative agreements. The second part of this chapter examines treaty implementation in Canada, which must occur according to the usual division of powers under the Constitution Act, 1867 following the Labour Conventions Reference. Moreover, under current law there are at least 13 forms of implementation—meaning that “legislative implementation” will not always be necessary for a treaty to be considered “implemented” under Canadian law.
An Existential Psychological Perspective on the Human Essence
Authors: Sullivan Daniel , Palitsky Roman
Published: November 2017

Existentialism arose in the 19th century as a philosophical countermovement to perspectives prioritizing universal human essences over the uniquely situated nature of each human existence. Two schools of existential thought—the dialectical-psychological and cultural-phenomenological—have exerted divergent influence on the contemporary movements of experimental and clinical existential psychology. While clinical approaches stress the patient’s phenomenological situation and need for meaning, experimental existential psychology employs modern quantitative methods to test hypotheses regarding threat and defense processes. Despite different emphases, existential perspectives see the human essence as characterized by three qualities: (1) the uniqueness of the human species and the individual; (2) the indissolubility of the person and the situation; and (3) the ubiquity of freedom and threat in human experience. In an attempt at synthesis, we trace these themes across clinical and experimental existential psychology, highlighting how these perspectives differ from mainstream approaches in their explanations for phenomena such as depression.
The Relational Essence of Cultural Psychology
Authors: Adams Glenn , Estrada-Villalta Sara , Kurtiş Tuğçe
Published: November 2017

A cultural psychology perspective proposes an anti-essentialist view of mind and culture that takes the relationality between them as the “essence” of human being. Concerning mind, species-typical tendencies do not emerge “just naturally”, but instead require engagement with cultural affordances. Concerning culture, human ecologies are not “just” natural; instead, we inhabit intentional worlds that carry traces of human imagination and influence. After introducing these ideas, the chapter applies decolonial strategies of cultural psychology to reconsider hegemonic perspectives on love and relationality. The denaturalization strategy considers how standard accounts of relationality have their foundation in independent selfways that reflect and reproduce racial domination. The normalization strategy challenges prevailing accounts that portray other forms of relationality as pathological deviations from the hegemonic standard. In many cases, these forms are expressions of interdependent selfways, attuned to the relational essence of being, that are worthy of broader emulation.
Human Essence
Authors: Gergen Kenneth J.
Published: November 2017

This chapter opens with a social constructionist perspective on human essences. As proposed, essences are not given in nature, but constructed within cultural traditions. Thus, the major challenge is not that of “getting it right” about the essence, but generating accounts that may contribute to society. A criterion of reflective pragmatism is proposed in which questions of contribution and critique prevail. In this light the chapter places in critical light the bio-cognitive and neurological explanations of human nature, especially focusing on the ideological and political implications of these orientations. In contrast, discussion opens on relational conceptions of human essence. Several approaches are considered, including symbolic interactionism and object relations theory in psychoanalysis. However, a fully relational account abandons the individual as the fundamental unit of analysis in favor of relational process out of which the very conception of the individual is formed (or not). Several practical implications are treated including the potentials of relational responsibility
The Obviousness and Obvious Limits of Individuality as Human Essence
Authors: van Zomeren Martijn
Published: November 2017

The chapter discusses the different approaches to the human essence that the six chapters in this first section contributed under the umbrella of individuality. More specifically, it first discusses them in terms of the seeming obviousness of locating the human essence in the individual body and/or mind, and then the obvious limits of this in the quest for identifying the human essence. Subsequently, it discusses what we may be missing when we zoom in too much onto the individual’s body, brain, and mind, which is what happens between individuals that cannot be reduced to the individual itself. In doing so, the chapter already provides a window on the second and third sections of the volume, which deal with relationality and cultural embeddedness as crucial aspects of the human essence.