title: Three Aspects of Wang Tuoh - A Contemporary Taiwanese Intellectual

authors: Morrison, John Brendon

subjects: Wang, Tuoh

abstract: This thesis presents English translations of three pieces of work by the Taiwanese intellectual Wang Tuoh. Wang Tuoh’s works range from short stories and novels to literary criticism, moral essays and newspaper opinion pieces. The exact form of his writings varied according to the political conditions in Taiwan at the time he wrote them. 
The first piece is Wang’s novella Auntie Jinshui, considered the centrepiece of Wang’s Badouzi series of stories. Wang’s writing was associated with the Nativist school of writers, which was to form part of the first organised cultural opposition to the rule of the authoritarian KMT in Taiwan. The second piece is Wang’s essay “It’s ‘Literature of the Present Reality’, not ‘Nativist’ Literature”, which was written in response to criticism of Nativist writers by KMT supporters. In this essay Wang supplies an important definition of the Nativist school, and broadens the scope of Nativism from being merely of the countryside, to including all of Taiwan’s ‘Present Reality’. The third piece is Wang’s moral essay “Finding the Basis of Success out of the Experience of Failure” which sums up much of Wang’s personal philosophy.
In the essay part of the thesis, a description is given of the historical background that lead to the complex society of 1970s Taiwan when Wang began writing. Taiwan’s history as a geographic crossroads between the interests of China, Japan and the West means that Taiwan society, and its intellectuals, can call upon a socio-cultural heritage that draws upon Chinese, Japanese and Western influences in addition to the local Taiwanese culture. 
Wang’s works are analysed within a conceptual framework that shows how these multiple influences interact within Taiwan’s social, cultural and intellectual worlds. Wang’s roles as writer, literary critic, and moral essayist are all simply aspects of his larger role as an intellectual in Taiwan. In exploring Wang’s biography and relating it to larger historical events, it can be shown that Wang’s writings and his role as an intellectual changed in response to the changing degree of political freedom in Taiwan.
The thesis concludes that Wang has consistently regarded his primary role as being an intellectual commentator, and that he has consistently called upon his countrymen to reflect upon the importance of social justice and democracy in Taiwan.

text: Three Aspects of Wang Tuoh - A Contemporary Taiwanese Intellectual This thesis presents English translations of three pieces of work by the Taiwanese intellectual Wang Tuoh. Wang Tuoh’s works range from short stories and novels to literary criticism, moral essays and newspaper opinion pieces. The exact form of his writings varied according to the political conditions in Taiwan at the time he wrote them. 
The first piece is Wang’s novella Auntie Jinshui, considered the centrepiece of Wang’s Badouzi series of stories. Wang’s writing was associated with the Nativist school of writers, which was to form part of the first organised cultural opposition to the rule of the authoritarian KMT in Taiwan. The second piece is Wang’s essay “It’s ‘Literature of the Present Reality’, not ‘Nativist’ Literature”, which was written in response to criticism of Nativist writers by KMT supporters. In this essay Wang supplies an important definition of the Nativist school, and broadens the scope of Nativism from being merely of the countryside, to including all of Taiwan’s ‘Present Reality’. The third piece is Wang’s moral essay “Finding the Basis of Success out of the Experience of Failure” which sums up much of Wang’s personal philosophy.
In the essay part of the thesis, a description is given of the historical background that lead to the complex society of 1970s Taiwan when Wang began writing. Taiwan’s history as a geographic crossroads between the interests of China, Japan and the West means that Taiwan society, and its intellectuals, can call upon a socio-cultural heritage that draws upon Chinese, Japanese and Western influences in addition to the local Taiwanese culture. 
Wang’s works are analysed within a conceptual framework that shows how these multiple influences interact within Taiwan’s social, cultural and intellectual worlds. Wang’s roles as writer, literary critic, and moral essayist are all simply aspects of his larger role as an intellectual in Taiwan. In exploring Wang’s biography and relating it to larger historical events, it can be shown that Wang’s writings and his role as an intellectual changed in response to the changing degree of political freedom in Taiwan.
The thesis concludes that Wang has consistently regarded his primary role as being an intellectual commentator, and that he has consistently called upon his countrymen to reflect upon the importance of social justice and democracy in Taiwan.

year: 2004

title: Under pressure: The chronic effects of lower-body compression garment use during a 6-week military training course

authors: Edgar, David Thomas

subjects: Science & Technology

abstract: Background: Previous studies have shown that compression garments may aid recovery in acute settings; however, less is known about the long-term use of compression garments (CG) for recovery. This study aimed to assess the influence of wearing CG on changes in physical performance, subjective soreness, and sleep quality over 6 weeks of military training. Methods: Fifty-five officer-trainees aged 24 ± 6 y from the New Zealand Defence Force participated in the current study. Twenty-seven participants wore CG every evening for 4–6 h, and twenty-eight wore standard military attire (CON) over a 6-week period. Subjective questionnaires (soreness and sleep quality) were completed weekly, and 2.4 km run time-trial, maximum press-ups, and curl-ups were tested before and after the 6 weeks of military training. Results: Repeated measures ANOVA indicated no significant group × time interactions for performance measures (p > 0.05). However, there were small effects in favour of CG over CON for improvements in 2.4 km run times (d = −0.24) and press-ups (d = 0.36), respectively. Subjective soreness also resulted in no significant group × time interaction but displayed small to moderate effects for reduced soreness in favour of CG. Conclusions: Though not statistically significant, CG provided small to moderate benefits to muscle-soreness and small benefits to aspects of physical-performance over a 6-week military training regime.

text: Under pressure: The chronic effects of lower-body compression garment use during a 6-week military training course Background: Previous studies have shown that compression garments may aid recovery in acute settings; however, less is known about the long-term use of compression garments (CG) for recovery. This study aimed to assess the influence of wearing CG on changes in physical performance, subjective soreness, and sleep quality over 6 weeks of military training. Methods: Fifty-five officer-trainees aged 24 ± 6 y from the New Zealand Defence Force participated in the current study. Twenty-seven participants wore CG every evening for 4–6 h, and twenty-eight wore standard military attire (CON) over a 6-week period. Subjective questionnaires (soreness and sleep quality) were completed weekly, and 2.4 km run time-trial, maximum press-ups, and curl-ups were tested before and after the 6 weeks of military training. Results: Repeated measures ANOVA indicated no significant group × time interactions for performance measures (p > 0.05). However, there were small effects in favour of CG over CON for improvements in 2.4 km run times (d = −0.24) and press-ups (d = 0.36), respectively. Subjective soreness also resulted in no significant group × time interaction but displayed small to moderate effects for reduced soreness in favour of CG. Conclusions: Though not statistically significant, CG provided small to moderate benefits to muscle-soreness and small benefits to aspects of physical-performance over a 6-week military training regime.

year: 2022

title: Efficacy of an incentive intervention on secondary prophylaxis for young people with rheumatic fever: a multiple baseline study

authors: Oetzel, John G.

subjects: Science & Technology

abstract: Background
Acute rheumatic fever in New Zealand persists and is a barometer of equity as its burden almost exclusively falls on Māori and Pacific Island populations. The primary objective of this study is to determine whether an incentive programme will result in increased secondary prophylaxis injections over a one-year period compared to a baseline period prior to the intervention.

Methods
The evaluation used a multiple baseline study to determine whether an incentive consisting of a mobile phone and monthly “top-up” (for data/calls) resulted in increased injections, increased texts/calls with nurses, reduced number of visits to get a successful injection, less medicine wasted, and increased nurse satisfaction. Participants were 77 young people (aged 14–21) on an acute rheumatic fever registry in Waikato region, New Zealand classified as either fully adherent (all injections received and no more than one late) or partially adherent based on injections at baseline.

Results
There was a sharp increase in injections for intermittent patients post-intervention and then a slight decrease overtime, while fully adherent patients maintained their high rate of injections (p = .003). A similar pattern for nurse satisfaction emerged (p = .001). The number of calls/texts increased for all patients (p = .003). The number of visits went down for partially adherent patients and up for fully adherent patients (p = .012). The overall incremental cost-effectiveness was $989 per extra successful injection although costs increased sharply toward the end of the intervention.

Conclusions
Incentivising secondary prophylaxis appears to have a strong impact for partially adherent patients, particularly during the early periods following the initiation of the intervention. Enhancing communication with patients who returned to care may result in more sustainable adherence.

Trial registration
Retrospectively registered: Australia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12618001150235, 12 July 2018.

text: Efficacy of an incentive intervention on secondary prophylaxis for young people with rheumatic fever: a multiple baseline study Background
Acute rheumatic fever in New Zealand persists and is a barometer of equity as its burden almost exclusively falls on Māori and Pacific Island populations. The primary objective of this study is to determine whether an incentive programme will result in increased secondary prophylaxis injections over a one-year period compared to a baseline period prior to the intervention.

Methods
The evaluation used a multiple baseline study to determine whether an incentive consisting of a mobile phone and monthly “top-up” (for data/calls) resulted in increased injections, increased texts/calls with nurses, reduced number of visits to get a successful injection, less medicine wasted, and increased nurse satisfaction. Participants were 77 young people (aged 14–21) on an acute rheumatic fever registry in Waikato region, New Zealand classified as either fully adherent (all injections received and no more than one late) or partially adherent based on injections at baseline.

Results
There was a sharp increase in injections for intermittent patients post-intervention and then a slight decrease overtime, while fully adherent patients maintained their high rate of injections (p = .003). A similar pattern for nurse satisfaction emerged (p = .001). The number of calls/texts increased for all patients (p = .003). The number of visits went down for partially adherent patients and up for fully adherent patients (p = .012). The overall incremental cost-effectiveness was $989 per extra successful injection although costs increased sharply toward the end of the intervention.

Conclusions
Incentivising secondary prophylaxis appears to have a strong impact for partially adherent patients, particularly during the early periods following the initiation of the intervention. Enhancing communication with patients who returned to care may result in more sustainable adherence.

Trial registration
Retrospectively registered: Australia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12618001150235, 12 July 2018.

year: 2019