Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Draws Attention (draw + attention)
Kinds of Draws Attention Selected AbstractsThe Prospects for Foreign Debt Sustainability in Post-Completion-Point Countries: Implications of the HIPC-MDRI FrameworkDEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 2 2008Jacinta Nwachukwu The Enhanced HIPC Initiative was launched in 1999 to reduce the Net Present Value (NPV) of foreign debt of the world's poorest countries to a sustainable threshold of 150% of their exports. This article applies a simple growth-with-debt model to 16 post-completion-point HIPCs to assess whether this goal will be met by 2015. Its somewhat optimistic base-case projections suggest that participation in the current Enhanced HIPC-MDRI initiative will only reduce the NPV of their total external debt to 176% of exports by this date. Sensitivity tests which expose these countries to adverse exogenous shocks help draw attention to policies that could ensure that they do not again accumulate unsustainable debt levels. [source] Not playing around: global capitalism, modern sport and consumer cultureGLOBAL NETWORKS, Issue 2 2007BARRY SMART Abstract The development of modern sport is bound up with processes of economic and cultural transformation associated with the global diffusion of capitalist forms of consumption. In this article I draw attention to aspects of the globalization of modern sport that were becoming apparent towards the close of the nineteenth century and then move on to consider the factors that contributed to sport becoming a truly global phenomenon in the course of the twentieth century. Consideration is given to the development of international sport and sports goods companies, the growth in media interest and the increasing significance of sponsorship, consumer culture and sporting celebrities. The global diffusion of modern sport that gathered momentum in the course of the twentieth century involved a number of networked elements, including transnational communications media and commercial corporations for which sport, especially through the iconic figure of the transnational celebrity sport star, constitutes a universally appealing globally networked cultural form. Association with sport events and sporting figures through global broadcasting, sponsorship and endorsement arrangements offers commercial corporations unique access to global consumer culture. [source] Exploring the link between microorganisms and oral cancer: A systematic review of the literatureHEAD & NECK: JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES & SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK, Issue 9 2009Samuel J. Hooper PhD Abstract The majority of cases of oral cancer have been related to tobacco use and heavy alcohol consumption. However, the incidence of oral cavity carcinoma appears to be increasing in many parts of the world in a manner that it is difficult to explain with traditional risk factors alone. Meanwhile, interest in the possible relationships between microorganisms and the different stages of cancer development has been rising and numerous mechanisms by which bacteria and yeast may initiate or promote carcinogenesis are currently under investigation. In particular, a persuasive body of evidence suggests a possible etiological role involving the metabolism and production of carcinogenic products, such as acetaldehyde. Other suggested mechanisms include the induction of chronic inflammation and direct interference with eukaryotic cell cycle and signaling pathways. This review aims to summarize the known associations between microbial infection and cancer and draw attention to how they may relate to oral carcinoma. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2009 [source] Orthostatic Headaches in the Syndrome of the Trephined: Resolution Following CranioplastyHEADACHE, Issue 7 2010Bahram Mokri MD Objective., To draw attention to the syndrome of the trephined as a potential cause for orthostatic headaches without cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. Background., Orthostatic headaches typically result from CSF leaks but sometimes may occur in conditions without any evidence of CSF leakage. Methods., A 37-year-old right-handed woman became comatose after a motor vehicle accident with cerebral contusions and massive left cerebral edema. A large frontoparietal craniectomy was carried out. In 5 months, she made good neurologic recovery. Freeze-preserved bone flap was placed back. In several weeks she was functionally near normal. Two years later, she began to complain of orthostatic headache and gradually additional manifestations appeared including progressive gait unsteadiness, imprecise speech, cognitive difficulties, and an increasing left hemiparesis along with progressive sinking of the skull defect and shift of the midline and ventricular distortion. She underwent removal of resorptive sinking bone flap and construction of an acrylic cranioplasty. Results., At 6-month follow-up, there was complete resolution of the orthostatic headaches, remarkable neurologic improvement along with resolution of midline shift and ventricular distortion. Conclusion., The syndrome of the trephined is yet another cause of orthostatic headaches without CSF leak. [source] The Enigma of ,Aydhab: a Medieval Islamic Port on the Red Sea CoastINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NAUTICAL ARCHAEOLOGY, Issue 1 2008David Peacock The medieval Islamic port of ,Aydhab played a major role in the hajj and in trade with Yemen, India and the Far East. A recent satellite image reveals the layout of the town in some detail, but there seems to be no trace of a viable harbour. Yet there was a fine secure harbour at Halaib, 20 km to the south. We tentatively suggest that the main port of ,Aydhab was separate from the town. This hypothesis can only be verified by fieldwork and our objective in this paper is draw attention to the problem rather than to resolve it. © 2007 The Authors [source] Genetic services for people with intellectual disability and their familiesJOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 7 2003F. L. Raymond MA DPhil FRCP Abstract This paper reviews the advances in molecular genetics over the recent years and discusses the impact it may have on those with intellectual disability and their families. The aim is not to present a comprehensive scientific treatise but rather to use illustrations from genetics to highlight our current thinking and draw attention to areas of uncertainty and misinformation. As our knowledge and understanding of the genetic basis of disease increases over the years, there may be significant benefits to some families, but the potential for discrimination against individuals on genetic grounds will also increase. [source] Raman scattering determination of the depth of cure of light-activated composites: influence of different clinically relevant parametersJOURNAL OF ORAL REHABILITATION, Issue 6 2002G. Leloup The purpose of this research was to determine the depth of cure of light-activated composites in relation with different clinically relevant parameters. A Raman spectroscopic method has been used. The measurement of cure is made on a relative basis by comparing the vibration band of the residual unpolymerized methacrylate C=C bond at 1640 cm,1 against the aromatic C=C stretching band at 1610 cm,1 used as an internal standard. The information gained draw attention to the importance of light transmission during the exposure. The influence of sample's thickness on the depth of cure is illustrated by a second order polynomial regression. The shade and translucency of the resin composite also modify the light transmission and thus have a significant influence on the degree of conversion. Moreover the light-source intensity and the distance from the curing tip are important parameters of influence. A significant reduction of the depth of cure is observed for all sample thickness of resin composite tested when using a light device with an intensity of 300 mW cm,2 as well as using a distance from the curing tip higher than 20 mm. [source] Avoiding ,Star Wars', Celebrity Creation as Media StrategyKYKLOS INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, Issue 2 2007Egon Franck SUMMARY Media companies generally enjoy increasing profits if more customers watch a program. The viewer drawing capability of stars serves as a prominent instrument to increase the audience. The literature distinguishes between two different types of stars: highly talented and therefore ,self-made' superstars, and famous but ,manufactured' and thus rather trivial celebrities. Whereas ,self-made' superstars attract viewers by providing services of superior quality, ,manufactured' celebrities draw attention by fabricated fame. Illustrating the Pop Idol series and comparing the abilities of superstars and celebrities to generate and to capture value, we show why ,manufacturing' celebrities is a lucrative business for the media. [source] Contrasting longitudinal and cross-sectional relationships between insulin resistance and percentage of body fat, fitness, and physical activity in children,the LOOK studyPEDIATRIC DIABETES, Issue 8 2009Richard D Telford Background: Knowledge of individual changes in insulin resistance (IR) and longitudinal relationships of IR with lifestyle-associated factors are of important practical significance, but little longitudinal data exist in asymptomatic children. We aimed to determine (a) changes in the homeostatic model of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) over a 2-yr period and (b) comparisons of longitudinal and cross-sectional relationships between HOMA-IR and lifestyle-related risk factors. Methods: Our subjects, 241 boys and 257 girls, were assessed at age 8.1 yr (SD 0.35) and again 2 yr later for fasting blood glucose and insulin, dual X-ray absorptiometry-assessed percentage of body fat (%BF), pedometer-assessed physical activity (PA), and cardio-respiratory fitness (CRF) by multistage running test. Results: HOMA-IR was initially 9% greater in girls than boys and 27% greater 2 yr later. There was no evidence of longitudinal relationships between HOMA-IR and %BF in boys or girls, despite significant cross-sectional relationships (p < 0.001). In boys, there was evidence of a longitudinal relationship between HOMA-IR and both PA (p < 0.001) and CRF (p = 0.05). In girls, we found a cross-sectional relationship between HOMA-IR and CRF (p < 0.001). Conclusions: HOMA-IR increases between 8 and 10 yr of age and to a greater extent in girls. Longitudinal, unlike cross-sectional, relationships do not support the premise that body fat has any impact on HOMA-IR during this period or that PA or CRF changes affect HOMA-IR in girls. These data draw attention to difficulties in interpreting observational studies in young children. [source] Seeking red herrings in the wood: tending the shared spaces of environmental and feminist geographiesTHE CANADIAN GEOGRAPHER/LE GEOGRAPHE CANADIEN, Issue 1 2007MAUREEN G. REED In this article I argue the need for feminist and environmental geographers to work more diligently to find, mind and tend the intersections of their research agendas to enrich scholarship and deepen impacts on public policy. Such a project requires us to move beyond an obvious call to acknowledge one another's work and towards the boundaries of our respective fields in order to co-create ,boundary objects' that provide opportunities for mutual exchange, collaboration and learning. Rather than being ,red herrings' or diversions from our main research foci, boundary objects bring new insights to taken-for-granted concepts. I focus on one example to argue that social sustainability of rural places is better understood by an integrated understanding of what constitutes a ,worker' in a forestry community. A redefinition of the worker that draws on insights and interests from both environmental and feminist geographers reveals an underlying gender bias in environmental decision-making processes and illustrates how the concept of social sustainability has been artificially restricted in practice. Nevertheless, collaborations are never easy. I draw attention to potential challenges of such collaborations that include the need to establish mutually agreeable protocols, joint commitment to constructive, respectful debate and strategies to ensure that research provides meaningful contributions to theory and public policy. Dans cet article, je vais tenter de montrer que les géographes féministes et les géographes de l'environnement auront à travailler avec plus d'acharnement pour reconnaître, étudier et entretenir les points communs de leurs agendas de recherche en vue d'augmenter la valeur scientifique des études et d'accroître les retombées sur les politiques publiques. Un tel projet exige que nous puissions dépasser le stade de la reconnaissance de nos travaux et se tourner ainsi vers les frontières de nos disciplines afin de co-créer des ,objets frontaliers' qui offrent des possibilités d'échanges d'idées, de collaboration et d'apprentissage. Plutôt qu'être des ,fausses pistes' ou des déviations de nos principaux thèmes de recherche, ces objets frontaliers pourraient apporter un éclairage nouveau sur des concepts tenus pour acquis. À l'aide d'un exemple, j'avance que pour mieux comprendre la durabilité sociale en milieux ruraux, il faut acquérir une compréhension intégrée de l'ensemble des dimensions d'un ,ouvrier' membre d'une communauté forestière. L'ouvrier est redéfini en mettant à contribution les connaissances et intérêts des géographes environnementaux et féministes. Cette définition met au jour un parti pris fondé sur le sexe dans les processus décisionnels en matière d'environnement et démontre de quelle façon le concept de la durabilité sociale s'en trouve artificiellement restreint dans la pratique. Les collaborations ne sont cependant jamais faciles àétablir. J'attire l'attention sur les difficultés potentielles de ces collaborations concernant notamment la mise en place de protocoles acceptables pour les deux parties, la promesse de tenir des débats constructifs et respectueux, et les stratégies visant à garantir que la recherche participe de manière vitale autant au développement de la théorie que des politiques publiques. [source] Trevor Swan's 1956 Economic Growth ,Seminar' and Notes on GrowthTHE ECONOMIC RECORD, Issue 243 2002John D. Pitchford Trevor Swan's ,Economic Growth' notes were written and distributed before the publication of what has become known as the Swan model of growth. Here I provide some further background on the preparation of this work, give a commentary on the notes and draw attention to the farsightedness of Swan's early contributions to this literature. [source] The prediction of disruptive behaviour disorders in an urban community sample: the contribution of person-centred analysesTHE JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY AND ALLIED DISCIPLINES, Issue 6 2004Keith B. Burt Background:, Variable- and person-centred analyses were used to examine prediction of middle childhood behaviour problems from earlier child and family measures. Method:, A community sample of 164 families, initially recruited at antenatal clinics at two South London practices, was assessed for children's behaviour problems and cognitive ability, maternal mental health, and the family environment when the children were 4 years old. At age 11, children, mothers, and teachers reported the child's disruptive behaviour, and mothers and children were interviewed to identify cases of disruptive behaviour disorders (DBD). Results:, Neither social class nor ethnicity predicted the child's disruptive behaviour at age 11. Rather, path analyses and logistic regression analyses drew attention to early behavioural problems, maternal mental health and the child's cognitive ability at 4 as predictors of disruptive behaviour at age 11. Cluster analysis extended these findings by identifying two distinct pathways to disruptive symptoms and disorder. In one subgroup children who showed intellectual difficulties at 4 had become disruptive by 11. In a second subgroup mothers and children both showed psychological problems when the child was 4, and the children were disruptive at age 11. The person-centred approach also revealed a high-functioning group of cognitively able 4-year-olds in supportive environments, at especially low risk for DBD. Conclusions:, Combining variable- and person-centred analytic approaches can aid prediction of children's problems, draw attention to pertinent developmental pathways, and help integrate data from multiple informants. [source] THINKING THROUGH IMAGES: KASTOM AND THE COMING OF THE BAHA'IS TO NORTHERN NEW IRELAND, PAPUA NEW GUINEATHE JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL ANTHROPOLOGICAL INSTITUTE, Issue 4 2005Graeme Were We can learn a lot about religious ideas by studying not just the impact on them of missionization but also how religious beliefs and practices are translated into local religious forms. In this article I draw attention to the case of the Baha'i faith in the Nalik area of northern New Ireland (Papua New Guinea). In discussing how the faith became strongly associated with the ability to harness ancestral power, I argue that this relationship emerged through Nalik people's ability to think through images, in other words through transforming forms in order to create new understandings. This study not only underlines the importance of localized studies into the technology of image production but also fills a gap in anthropological studies that, up until now, have systematically ignored the Baha'i movement and its place in the contemporary Pacific. [source] The Arts Of Deception: Verbal Performances By The Ra¯ute Of NepalTHE JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL ANTHROPOLOGICAL INSTITUTE, Issue 2 2002Jana Fortier A small population of Tibeto-Burman-speaking hunter-gatherers, the Ra¯ute avoid intercultural communication with surrounding Nepa¯li-speaking agriculturalists except during barter sessions. During these intercultural interactions, Ra¯ute often charm their trading partners with Nepa¯li verbal art, including recitation of rhymes, songs, and blessings. In this article I suggest that Ra¯ute perform verbal art in order to draw attention away from their radically different lifestyle and as a way of resisting the hegemonic process of Hinduization. The article details Ra¯ute oral performance as a strategy of verbal indirection, focusing on the context and framing of rhyming proverbs as a means of camouflaging Ra¯ute people's actual cultural practices. ba¯darko sa¯pet.o Ra¯uteko dha¯mi la¯i, kheti cha¯ina pa¯ti cha¯ina, ke kha¯nu ha¯mi la¯i? ,The monkey's thigh is the shaman's meat, Having no farmland, what shall we eat?' Gogane Ra¯ute [source] Signalling and phagocytosis in the orchestration of host defenceCELLULAR MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2007J. Magarian Blander Summary Dendritic cells (DCs) orchestrate either tolerance or immunity. At the heart of this function lies phagocytosis, which allows DCs to sample the tissue microenvironment and deliver both its self and non-self constituents into endocytic compartments for clearance, degradation and presentation by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. Depending on the type of signalling pathways triggered during phagocytosis, DCs deliver appropriate signals to T cells that determine either their tolerance or activation and differentiation. Here I draw attention to the ability of DCs to read the contents of their phagosomes depending on the type of compartmentalized signalling pathways engaged during internalization. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) engaged during phagocytosis of microbial pathogens, but not syngeneic apoptotic cells exert phagosome autonomous control on both the kinetics and outcome of phagosome maturation. By bearing the assembly of signalling complexes on their membranes, individual phagosomes undergo separate programmes of maturation irrespective of the activation status of the DC carrying them. Phagosomes carrying microbial cargo are favoured for MHC class II presentation precluding phagosomes carrying self from contributing to the first signal delivered to T cells , the peptide,MHC complex. This mechanism prevents the potential presentation of peptides derived from self within the context of TLR-induced co-stimulatory signals. [source] Unintended Consequences of Land Rights Reform: The Case of the 1998 Uganda Land ActDEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 2 2004Diana Hunt Empirical studies of land rights privatisation have tended to underemphasise the unintended impacts of land rights reform relative to establishing whether the predicted impacts have occurred. This article, in reviewing some of the unintended consequences of the 1998 Uganda Land Act, draws attention to ways in which intended impacts may be undercut by lack of both consultation and foresight in anticipating responses to new legal provisions and by lack of adequate resourcing of the reform process. It also recognises that unintended outcomes may sometimes reflect appropriate adaptations of legal provisions at the local level, and briefly considers what light the Ugandan experience can throw on recent proposals for Normalisation of informal property rights in the Third World. [source] Incorrect and incomplete coding and classification of diabetes: a systematic reviewDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 5 2010M. A. Stone Diabet. Med. 27, 491,497 (2010) Abstract Aims, To conduct a systematic review to identify types and implications of incorrect or incomplete coding or classification within diabetes or between diabetes and other conditions; also to determine the availability of evidence regarding frequency of occurrence. Methods, Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and free-text terms were used to search relevant electronic databases for papers published to the end of August 2008. Two researchers independently reviewed titles and abstracts and, subsequently, the full text of potential papers. Reference lists of selected papers were also reviewed and authors consulted. Three reviewers independently extracted data. Results, Seventeen eligible studies were identified, including five concerned with distinguishing between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Evidence was also identified regarding: the distinction between diabetes and no-diabetes, failure to specify type of diabetes, and diagnostic errors or difficulties involving maturity-onset diabetes of the young, latent autoimmune diabetes in adults, pancreatic diabetes, persistence of foetal haemoglobin and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). The sample was too heterogeneous to derive accurate information about frequency, but our findings suggested that misclassification occurs most commonly in young people. Implications relating to treatment options and risk management were highlighted, in addition to psychological and financial implications and the potential impact on the validity of quality of care evaluations and research. Conclusions, This review draws attention to the occurrence and implications of incorrect or incomplete coding or classification of diabetes, particularly in young people. A pragmatic and clinically relevant approach to classification is needed to assist those involved in making decisions about types of diabetes. [source] ETHICS AND THE MARKET ECONOMY: INSIGHTS FROM CATHOLIC MORAL THEOLOGYECONOMIC AFFAIRS, Issue 2 2004Samuel Gregg The ethical dimension of market solutions to problems is often neglected by their proponents. This article examines the market from the standpoint of orthodox Roman Catholic moral theology. It illustrates how Catholic theologians have contributed to thinking about the market, draws attention to Catholicism's positive assessment of entrepreneurship, and outlines paths for future Catholic reflection on the market. [source] The Public Role of Teaching: To keep the door closedEDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY AND THEORY, Issue 5-6 2010Goele Cornelissen Abstract In this article, I turn my attention to the figure of the ignorant master, Joseph Jacotot, that is depicted in The Ignorant Schoolmaster. Five Lessons in Intellectual Emancipation (1991). I will show that the voice of Jacotot can actually be read as a reaction against the progressive figure of the teacher which, following Rancière's view, can be seen as effecting a stultification. In some respects, however, Rancière's analysis of the pedagogical order no longer seems to be valid in today's partly reconfigured, pedagogical order that depicts the teacher in terms of facilitation. Yet, the figure of the facilitator can be seen as effecting a stultification as well. Therefore, I will stress that Jacotot's voice is highly relevant today. The most important difference between the figure of the (old and current) figure of the stultifyer and that of the ignorant master is identified in their starting point. The stultifying master starts from the assumption of inequality. S/he transforms taught material (words, text, images, etc.) into objects of knowledge or resources for competence development that open the door to another world. The ignorant master (Jacotot) assumes equal intelligence and draws attention to a thing in common. According to Rancière, the ignorant master keeps the door closed and puts his/her students in the presence of a thing in common. [source] CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION, POLICY, AND THE EDUCATIONALIZATION OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCHEDUCATIONAL THEORY, Issue 4 2008Naomi Hodgson Hodgson begins by analyzing educational researchers' response to the recent introduction of citizenship education in England, focusing specifically on a review of research, policy, and practice in this area commissioned by the British Educational Research Association (BERA). She argues that the BERA review exemplifies the field of education policy sociology in that it is conducted according to the concepts of its parent discipline of sociology but lacks critical theoretical engagement with them. Instead, such work operationalizes sociological concepts in service of educational policy solutions. Hodgson identifies three dominant discourses of citizenship education within the BERA review, the academic discourse of education policy sociology, contemporary political discourse, and the discourse of inclusive education , and draws attention to the relation of citizenship education to policy initiatives, and thus to educationalization. She then discusses Foucault's concept of normalization in terms of the demand on the contemporary subject to orient the self in a certain relation toward learning informed by the need for competitiveness in the European and global context. Ultimately, Hodgson concludes that the language and rhetoric of education policy sociology implicate such research in the process of educationalization itself. [source] DECOLONIZING THE PRODUCTION OF GEOGRAPHICAL KNOWLEDGES?GEOGRAFISKA ANNALER SERIES B: HUMAN GEOGRAPHY, Issue 3 2006REFLECTIONS ON RESEARCH WITH INDIGENOUS MUSICIANS ABSTRACT. This paper contributes to debates on decolonizing geography, by reflecting on the ethical and political considerations involved in research on indigenous music in Australia. The research collaboration involved two non-indigenous researchers,an academic geographer and a music educator,engaging with indigenous music and musicians in a number of ways. The paper reflects on these engagements, and draws attention to a series of key binaries and boundaries that were highlighted and unsettled: ,outsider/insider'; ,traditional/contemporary'; ,authenticity/inauthenticity'. It also discusses the politics of publishing and draws attention to the ways in which the objects of our work,in this case a book,influence decisions about representation, subject matter, and interpretations of speaking positions. Rather than seeking validation for attempts to ,speak for' or ,speak to' indigenous musical perspectives, contemporary Aboriginality was understood as a field of intersubjective relations where multiple voices, representations and interventions are made. I discuss some ways in which the authors sought to situate their own musical, and geographical, knowledges in this problematic, and inherently political, research context. [source] New Labour and Higher Education: Dilemmas and ParadoxesHIGHER EDUCATION QUARTERLY, Issue 3 2003Roger Brown David Blunkett's Greenwich speech (2000) set out what have become the main themes of New Labour's engagement with higher education, themes which were elaborated in the recent White Paper (DfES, 2003a). This paper draws attention to the dilemmas and paradoxes which arise from the difficulties of simultaneously satisfying the objectives which were set out in the aftermath of the 2001 general election, and from the trade off solutions and policies actually identified. The most fundamental conflict is between the desire to expand the system and the costs of that expansion. The author also identifies a conflict between institutional diversity and hierarchy and between exclusionism and accessibility. The paper concludes by suggesting that exclusionism is still alive and well under the government of a party that still has ,Labour' in its title. [source] Athens and Jerusalem, Alexandria and Edessa: Is there a Metaphysics of Scripture?INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY, Issue 2 2006JANET MARTIN SOSKICE Were the classic divine attributes simply lifted from Greek philosophers? This article does not set out to find a single metaphysic advocated by scripture but instead draws attention to the unique ,unhellenic' doctrine of creatio ex nihilo found in both Jewish and Christian teaching on metaphysics. Creatio ex nihilo marks a decisive break with ancient Greek cosmology. Philo is used as an example of the influence that creatio ex nihilo has upon his language about God. The essay concludes that the church Fathers did not simply baptize Aristotle but rather that their language is deeply rooted in a particular Judeo-Christian understanding of creation. [source] Implementing the Amphibian Conservation Action PlanINTERNATIONAL ZOO YEARBOOK, Issue 1 2008R. D. MOORE The Global Amphibian Assessment, completed in 2004, revealed that over 32% of the c. 6000 amphibian species known worldwide are threatened with extinction. This staggering figure exceeds rates of imperilment for both birds (12%) and mammals (23%). Amphibians face threats from traditional factors, such as habitat loss, unsustainable use, invasive species and pollution. These stresses are compounded by more novel threats, such as emerging infectious diseases and climate change, which are unimpeded by protected-area boundaries. A Summit was convened in September 2005 to devise a unified strategy for amphibian conservation in the form of the Amphibian Conservation Action Plan (ACAP; available at http://www.amphibians.org/). The ACAP outlines a 5 year plan to curtail the decline and extinction of amphibians, and focuses on 11 themes, each with an associated budget. The total estimated cost of abating the current trend comes to US $400 million over the next 5 years. While this may appear daunting, it serves to highlight the urgency of the situation and draws attention to the need to steer limited resources towards the conservation of this vulnerable group. The ACAP is a call for help to governments, zoos and aquariums, civilians and researchers alike. We need to work together if we are going to succeed in stemming a mass extinction spasm affecting an entire class of vertebrates. The IUCN/SSC (The World Conservation Union/Species Survival Commission) Amphibian Specialist Group (ASG; http://www.amphibians.org/), formed after the Summit, is working to implement the ACAP by stimulating, developing and executing practical programmes to conserve amphibians and their habitats around the world. In addition, the ASG is supporting a global web of partners to develop funding, capacity and technology transfer to achieve shared, strategic amphibian conservation goals. [source] Building drought management capacity in the Mekong River basin,IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE, Issue 3 2008Wilfried Hundertmark gestion de la sécheresse; développement des capacités; organisation de bassin; Mékong Abstract Over the past decades the Mekong River basin has experienced several droughts, the most recent of which occurred in the hydrological year 2004/2005. Impacts extended across agriculture, forestry, water resources, supply, industry, transport and the environment. In early 2006, the Mekong River Commission Secretariat initiated close consultations with the MRC member states Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam, aiming at the formulation of a common Drought Management Programme, which would enhance the existing drought management capacity and ensure effective support. This paper draws attention to the programme formulation process. It shows how national capacity needs were assessed and synthesized into a basin-wide capacity development programme. The paper concludes that in the context of international waters enhancing cooperation and capacity in drought management requires a strategic framework as an overall guideline for programme formulation and implementation. It defines a common terminology, mechanisms and linkages to integrated water resources management plans. The programme's long-term success depends on the ability to sustain the interest of the national partner institutions. Ultimately, enhanced capacity in drought management must demonstrate its impact on the level of vulnerability of the population living under drought-prone conditions. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Au cours des dernières décennies, le bassin du Mékong a connu plusieurs sécheresses, la plus récente ayant eu lieu dans l'année hydrologique 2004/2005. L'impact a concerné l'agriculture, la forêt, les ressources en eau, la distribution, l'industrie, les transports et l'environnement. Au début de 2006, le Secrétariat de la Commission du Mékong a entamé des consultations étroites avec les états membres, le Cambodge, la RDP du Laos, la Thaïlande et le Vietnam, visant à l'élaboration d'un programme commun de gestion de la sécheresse, qui permettrait de renforcer les capacités existantes de gestion de la sécheresse et d'assurer un soutien efficace. Cet article attire l'attention sur le processus de formulation des programmes. Il montre comment les besoins nationaux de formation ont été évalués et synthétisés dans un programme de développement des capacités pour l'ensemble du bassin. L'article conclut que, dans le contexte des eaux internationales, le renforcement de la coopération et des capacités dans la gestion de la sécheresse a besoin d'un cadre stratégique d'ensemble et d'un guide global pour la formulation des programmes et leur mise en ,uvre. Il définit une terminologie commune, les mécanismes et les liens avec les plans de gestion intégrée des ressources en eau. Le succès à long terme du programme dépend de la capacité à maintenir l'intérêt des institutions nationales partenaires. En fin de compte, le renforcement des capacités dans la gestion de la sécheresse doit démontrer son impact sur le niveau de vulnérabilité de la population vivant dans les régions soumises à la sécheresse. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Stress generation in depression: Reflections on origins, research, and future directionsJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 9 2006Constance Hammen Depressed individuals report higher rates of stressful life events, especially those that have occurred in part because of the person's characteristics and behaviors affecting interpersonal interactions. Termed stress generation, this phenomenon draws attention to the role of the individual as an active contributor rather than passive player in his or her environment, and is therefore an example of action theory. In this article, the author speculates about the intellectual origins of her stress generation perspective, and notes somewhat similar transactional approaches to the stress-disorder link outside of depression research. The literature on stress generation in depression is reviewed, including studies that attempt to explore its correlates and predictors, covering clinical, contextual, family, genetic, cognitive, interpersonal, and personality variables. Empirical and conceptual gaps in our understanding of processes contributing to stressors in the lives of depressed people remain. The author concludes with suggestions for further research, with the goal of furthering understanding both of mechanisms of depression and of dysfunctional interpersonal processes, as well as development of effective interventions to help break the stress-recurrence cycle of depression. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 62: 1065,1082, 2006. [source] Geographic and Industrial Diversification of Developing Country Firms*JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, Issue 2 2004Lilach Nachum ABSTRACT This paper examines the impact of the industrial and geographical diversification activities of developing country firms on their performance, and draws attention to the unique attributes of these firms and of the circumstances under which their diversification activities take place. The empirical analysis is based on data from 345 developing country firms. The findings suggest significant and positive association between industrial and geographic diversification and performance, and considerable variation of these relationships across developing regions and diversification strategies. [source] "Maybe Tomorrow I'll Turn Capitalist": Cuentapropismo in a Workers' StateLAW & SOCIETY REVIEW, Issue 2 2007Emma F. Phillips In 1993, the Cuban government significantly expanded the scope of legal self-employment on the island. The change has not been uncontroversial, and cuentapropistas have frequently been held up, both in Cuba and in the United States, as the symbol of Cuba's transition to a free-market economy. In framing cuentapropistas as the vanguards of capitalism, observers have adopted a concept of "transition" which is both rigidly ideological and teleological. This article argues that by employing a sociolegal approach toward cuentapropismo,examining close-up not only the Cuban government's regulation of self-employment, but also how the operation of law is mediated through cuentapropistas' own self-perceptions,we can develop a richer and more complex understanding of transitional periods. Rather than conceptualizing "transition" as a straight line from communism to capitalism, a sociolegal analysis draws attention to the complex relationship between law, identity, and work in the renegotiation of citizenship, and the constitutive role that evolving conceptions of citizenship may have for the shape and character of a transitional period. [source] Lessons from the Nursery: Children as Writers in Early Years EducationLITERACY, Issue 2 2000Lesley Clark This paper considers the rationale of the National Literacy Strategy (NLS) for changing approaches to the teaching of writing in the early years. Existing pedagogy and practice are summarised and mapped against the NLS requirements. It is suggested that there are tensions both in ideology and practice which are particularly striking for the Reception year. Research in early years classrooms in three primary schools in Southern England draws attention, in particular, to the ways in which the NLS is prompting changes in contexts for writing and in the nature of teacher intervention, with an increasingly early emphasis on the didactic teaching of writing conventions. The paper concludes that developmentally appropriate, affirming strategies need not contravene the educational ideals of the NLS, providing the professionalism of early years practitioners is genuinely nurtured and respected. [source] Doing Away with the Drab Age: Research Opportunities in Mid-Tudor Literature (1530,1580)LITERATURE COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 3 2010Mike Pincombe This article surveys recent developments in the study of mid-Tudor literature; some of the problems the area has traditionally faced and still faces; and the opportunities for new research it offers, especially that which exploits new technology. It traces the deleterious effect that C. S. Lewis' epithet ,Drab Age' has had upon the field, and how this has been compounded by institutional and market pressures in university education and academic publishing in the second half of the twentieth century. Nonetheless, interest in mid-16th century literature is being revived by historicist readings. The article maps out a number of areas ripe for future study, including life-writing, women's writing, miscellanies, anonymous writing, cheap/ephemeral print, Inns of Court writing, translation, Tudor poetics, manuscripts, non-dramatic dialogue, paratext and anthologies of ,tragical tales'. It calls for an unprejudiced reassessment of the aesthetics of mid-Tudor literature and draws attention to its humour and generic hybridity. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||