title: The changing geography of world trade: Projections to 2030

authors: Anderson, Kym

subjects: global economy-wide model projections

abstract: Rapid economic growth in Asia (and some other emerging economies) has been shifting the global economic and industrial centres of gravity away from the north Atlantic, raising the importance of Asia in world trade, and boosting South–South trade. This paper examines how trade patterns are likely to change in the course of continuing economic growth and structural changes in Asia and the rest of the world over the next two decades. It does so by projecting a core baseline for the world economy from 2004 to 2030 and comparing it with alternative scenarios, including slower economic growth rates in the ‘North’, slower productivity growth in primary sectors, and prospective trade policy reforms in Developing Asia, without and with policy reforms also in the ‘North’ and in South–South trade. Projected impacts on international trade patterns, sectoral shares of GDP, ‘openness’ to trade, and potential welfare gains from reforms are highlighted, in addition to effects on bilateral trade patterns as summarized by intra- and extra-regional trade intensity and propensity indexes. The paper concludes with implications for regional and multilateral trade policy.

text: The changing geography of world trade: Projections to 2030 Rapid economic growth in Asia (and some other emerging economies) has been shifting the global economic and industrial centres of gravity away from the north Atlantic, raising the importance of Asia in world trade, and boosting South–South trade. This paper examines how trade patterns are likely to change in the course of continuing economic growth and structural changes in Asia and the rest of the world over the next two decades. It does so by projecting a core baseline for the world economy from 2004 to 2030 and comparing it with alternative scenarios, including slower economic growth rates in the ‘North’, slower productivity growth in primary sectors, and prospective trade policy reforms in Developing Asia, without and with policy reforms also in the ‘North’ and in South–South trade. Projected impacts on international trade patterns, sectoral shares of GDP, ‘openness’ to trade, and potential welfare gains from reforms are highlighted, in addition to effects on bilateral trade patterns as summarized by intra- and extra-regional trade intensity and propensity indexes. The paper concludes with implications for regional and multilateral trade policy.

year: 2012-08

title: "The use of the dead to the living": Gothic surgical horror in Six Feet Under

authors: Schott, Gareth R.

subjects: Six Feet Under

abstract: US television drama Six Feet Under has been examined for its contemporary expansion of Gothic tropes (e.g. Coghlan et al., 2016). This paper develops existing readings by focusing on the evocation of Gothic surgical and body horror (Conrich & Sedgwick 2017) within Six Feet Under and the manner in which it directs attention to treatment of the body post-mortem. Death care, it is argued, reflects a broader cultural unwillingness to concede to the inescapable decay, deterioration and demise of the body. This paper examines the various cultural logics attached to revulsion aroused by dead bodies, hidden carnographic transformation of the body, and their uncanny social reappearance “cleansed, purified, immobile” (Bronfen 1992, 99). It is argued that the Gothic corpse in Six Feet Under represents “potential that has yet to be realized in full” (Shapira 2018, 2) referring to the illimitable aesthetic values of ‘makeover culture’ (Jones 2008) that are imposed on the dead. By delving deeper into the industry practices portrayed in the funeral drama, a connection is revealed between the increasing tendency for living bodies to become “a mixture of nature and artifice” (Van Dijck 2001, 100) and its uncomplicated extension to the dead.

text: "The use of the dead to the living": Gothic surgical horror in Six Feet Under US television drama Six Feet Under has been examined for its contemporary expansion of Gothic tropes (e.g. Coghlan et al., 2016). This paper develops existing readings by focusing on the evocation of Gothic surgical and body horror (Conrich & Sedgwick 2017) within Six Feet Under and the manner in which it directs attention to treatment of the body post-mortem. Death care, it is argued, reflects a broader cultural unwillingness to concede to the inescapable decay, deterioration and demise of the body. This paper examines the various cultural logics attached to revulsion aroused by dead bodies, hidden carnographic transformation of the body, and their uncanny social reappearance “cleansed, purified, immobile” (Bronfen 1992, 99). It is argued that the Gothic corpse in Six Feet Under represents “potential that has yet to be realized in full” (Shapira 2018, 2) referring to the illimitable aesthetic values of ‘makeover culture’ (Jones 2008) that are imposed on the dead. By delving deeper into the industry practices portrayed in the funeral drama, a connection is revealed between the increasing tendency for living bodies to become “a mixture of nature and artifice” (Van Dijck 2001, 100) and its uncomplicated extension to the dead.

year: 2018-12

title: Geographical and ethnic differences of osteoarthritis-associated hip and knee replacement surgeries in New Zealand: a population-based cross-sectional study

authors: Lao, Chunhuan

abstract: Objectives To (1) explore the regional and ethnic differences in rates of publicly funded osteoarthritis-associated hip and knee replacement surgeries and (2) investigate the mortality after surgery.

Design Population-based, retrospective, cross-sectional study.

Setting General population in New Zealand.

Participants Patients with osteoarthritis who underwent publicly funded primary hip and knee replacement surgeries in 2005–2017. Patients aged 14–99 years were included.

Primary and secondary outcome measures Age-standardised rate, standardised mortality ratio (SMR) and 30 days, 90 days and 1 year mortality.

Results We identified 53 439 primary hip replacements and 50 072 primary knee replacements with a diagnosis of osteoarthritis. The number and age-standardised rates of hip and knee replacements increased over time. Māori had the highest age-standardised rate of hip replacements, followed by European/others and Pacific, and Asian had the lowest rate. Pacific had the highest age-standardised rate of knee replacements, followed by Māori and European/others, and Asian had the lowest rate. The Northern Health Network had the lowest rate of hip surgeries, and the Southern Health Network had the lowest rate of knee surgeries. The SMRs of patients undergoing hip and knee replacements were lower than the general population: 0.92 (95% CI 0.89 to 0.95) for hip and 0.79 (95% CI 0.76 to 0.82) for knee. The SMRs were decreasing over time. The patterns of 30 days, 90 days and 1 year mortality were similar to the SMR.

Conclusions The numbers of publicly funded osteoarthritis-associated primary hip and knee replacements are steadily increasing. Māori people had the highest age-standardised rate of hip replacements and Pacific people had the highest rate of knee replacements. The Northern Health Network had the lowest rate of hip surgeries, and the Southern Health Network had the lowest rate of knee surgeries. Compared with the general population, patients who had hip and knee replacements have a better life expectancy.

text: Geographical and ethnic differences of osteoarthritis-associated hip and knee replacement surgeries in New Zealand: a population-based cross-sectional study Objectives To (1) explore the regional and ethnic differences in rates of publicly funded osteoarthritis-associated hip and knee replacement surgeries and (2) investigate the mortality after surgery.

Design Population-based, retrospective, cross-sectional study.

Setting General population in New Zealand.

Participants Patients with osteoarthritis who underwent publicly funded primary hip and knee replacement surgeries in 2005–2017. Patients aged 14–99 years were included.

Primary and secondary outcome measures Age-standardised rate, standardised mortality ratio (SMR) and 30 days, 90 days and 1 year mortality.

Results We identified 53 439 primary hip replacements and 50 072 primary knee replacements with a diagnosis of osteoarthritis. The number and age-standardised rates of hip and knee replacements increased over time. Māori had the highest age-standardised rate of hip replacements, followed by European/others and Pacific, and Asian had the lowest rate. Pacific had the highest age-standardised rate of knee replacements, followed by Māori and European/others, and Asian had the lowest rate. The Northern Health Network had the lowest rate of hip surgeries, and the Southern Health Network had the lowest rate of knee surgeries. The SMRs of patients undergoing hip and knee replacements were lower than the general population: 0.92 (95% CI 0.89 to 0.95) for hip and 0.79 (95% CI 0.76 to 0.82) for knee. The SMRs were decreasing over time. The patterns of 30 days, 90 days and 1 year mortality were similar to the SMR.

Conclusions The numbers of publicly funded osteoarthritis-associated primary hip and knee replacements are steadily increasing. Māori people had the highest age-standardised rate of hip replacements and Pacific people had the highest rate of knee replacements. The Northern Health Network had the lowest rate of hip surgeries, and the Southern Health Network had the lowest rate of knee surgeries. Compared with the general population, patients who had hip and knee replacements have a better life expectancy.

year: 2019