Identifying health centers in Honduras infested with Rhodnius prolixus using the seroprevalence of Chagas disease in children younger than 13 years

The objective of this study is to determine if a Chagas disease protocol starting with a serological survey is as reliable at identifying insect-infested areas as one using the gold standard entomological survey. The study found that health center areas infested with Rhodnius prolixus were identified using a threshold seroprevalence of 0.1%. The serological survey took half the time and was 30% less expensive than the entomological survey. Developing countries with limited resources may find this strategy useful in combating Chagas disease. This strategy also identifies seropositive children, which facilitates their treatment.

The representation of majorities and minorities in the British press: A content analytic approach

A content analysis examined the way majorities and minorities are represented in the British press. An analysis of the headlines of five British newspapers, over a period of five years, revealed that the words 'majority' and 'minority' appeared 658 times. Majority headlines were most frequent (66%), more likely to emphasize the numerical size of the majority, to link majority status with political groups, to be described with positive evaluations, and to cover political issues. By contrast, minority headlines were less frequent (34%), more likely to link minority status with ethnic groups and to other social issues, and less likely to be described with positive evaluations. The implications of examining how real-life majorities and minorities are represented for our understanding of experimental research are discussed. Copyright (C) 2004 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.

Motivation of Chinese investment in Vietnam

China attracted a record of US$52.7×109 in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the year 2002, surpassing the United States to become the world’s largest FDI recipient. China’s success in attracting FDI has received significant attention from academics. Several theoretical approaches have been developed to explain the determinants of FDI in China. However, it seems to be ignored that China has also become a growing provider of significant FDI to the rest the world. According to United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)’s 2004 report, as a developing country, replacing Japan, China has made the list of the expected top five home countries worldwide for the first time in terms of geographical coverage (2004–2005). Vietnam is second largest market and another emerging transition tiger in Southeast Asia. Both China and Vietnam were and are experiencing transitions from centrally planned economy to free market economy. This paper, therefore, attempts to explore the development of Chinese investment in Vietnam, analysing the main motives for, and characteristics of, Chinese Multinational Enterprises’ (MNEs) investment in Vietnam.

Lessons in ethnonephrology

Only recently has the nephrology community moved beyond a fairly singular focus on terminal kidney failure to embrace population-based studies of earlier stages of disease, its markers and risk factors, and of interventions. Observations in developing countries, and in minority, migrant, and disadvantaged groups in westernized countries, have promoted these developments. We are only beginning to interpret renal disease in the context of public health history, social and health transitions, changing population demography, and competing mortality. Its intimate relationships to other health issues are being progressively exposed. Perspectives on the multideterminant etiology of most disease and the pedestrian nature of most risk factors are maturing. We are challenged to reconcile epidemiologic patterns with morphology in diseased renal tissue, and to consider structural markers, such as nephron number and glomerular size, as determinants of disease susceptibility. New work force models are mandated for population-based studies and intervention programs. Intervention programs need to be integrated with other chronic disease initiatives and nested in a matrix of systematic primary care, and although flexible to changing needs, must be sustained over the long term. Cross-disciplinary collaboration is essential in designing those programs, and in promoting them to health-care funders. Substantial expansion and restructuring of the discipline is needed for the nephrology community to participate effectively in those processes.

Delivering culturally sensitive care: The perceptions of older Arabian Gulf Arabs concerning religion, health, and disease

Health professionals need to be cognizant of the varying perceptions of health shared by people from different religious, sociocultural, and linguistic backgrounds to deliver culturally sensitive health care. In this qualitative study, the authors used semistructured interviews to provide insight into how 10 older Arabian Gulf Muslim persons understand and perceive health and illness with emphasis on the role of Islam in formulating health behaviors. Participants' views were strongly influenced by their religious convictions. Good health was equated with the absence of visible disease, with participants demonstrating limited understanding of silent or insidious disease. They attended doctors for treatment of visible disease rather than seeking preventive health care for diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. Building oil the results from this study could help inform both health service planners and providers to improve the appropriateness, relevancy, and effectiveness of aged care services for these individuals.

Internationale Konjunkturverbunde

After conceptual clarification of international business cycle and a review of the literature, a new indicator is proposed. This indicator refers to two time series only and allows for an internationally comparable quantification of a country's position in the business cycle. We then calculate times series of this indicator for 30 countries from 1970-2000. After some plausibility checks, we refer to these series to test a number of hypotheses. Cross correlations reveal a high degree of interconnectedness. Moreover, the number of highly positive correlations has increased over time, whereas the number of low and moderate correlations has decreased. A principal components analysis yields a first component that can be interpreted as the world business cycle. The further components suggest the existence of a Scandinavian-Anglo-Saxon business cycle as well as of another, smaller group of Anglo-Saxon countries that move together. This finding is replicated by a hierarchical cluster analysis, which in addition suggests a closely integrated group of non-Scandinavian and non-English speaking European countries plus Japan and Israel. Furthermore, there is indication for some, albeit weak business cycle integration in Southeast Asia and in South America. The international business cycle is thus found to have a hierarchical structure.

Use of drought response index for identification of drought tolerant genotypes in rainfed lowland rice

Drought is a major constraint for rice production in the rainfed lowlands in Southeast Asia and Eastern India. The breeding programs for tainted lowland rice in these regions focus on adaptation to a range of drought conditions. However, a method of selection of drought tolerant genotypes has not been established and is considered to be one of the constraints faced by rice breeders. Drought response index (DRI) is based on grain yield adjusted for variation in potential yield and flowering date, and has been used recently, but its consistency among drought environments and hence its usefulness is not certain. In order to establish a selection method and subsequently to identify donor parents for drought resistance breeding, a series of experiments with 15 contrasting genotypes was conducted under well-watered and managed drought conditions at two sites for 5 years in Cambodia. Water level in the field was recorded and used to estimate the relative water level (WLREL) around flowering as an index of the severity of water deficit at the time of flowering for each entry. This was used to determine if DRI or yield reduction was due to drought tolerance or related to the amount of available water at flowering, i.e. drought escape. Grain yield reduction due to drought ranged from 12 to 46%. The drought occurred mainly during the reproductive phase, while four experiments had water stress from the early vegetative stage. There was significant variation for water availability around flowering among the nine experiments and this was associated with variation in mean yield reduction. Genotypic variation in DRI was consistent among most experiments, and genotypic mean DRI ranged from -0.54 to 0.47 (LSD 5% = 0.47). Genotypic variation in DRI was not related to WLREL around flowering in the nine environments. It is concluded that selection for DRI under drought conditions would allow breeders to identify donor lines with high drought tolerance as an important component of breeding better adapted varieties for the rainfed lowlands; two genotypes were identified with high DRI and low yield reduction and were subsequently used in the breeding program in Cambodia. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The cultural facet of suicidal behaviour: Its importance and neglect

Culture is a central but debated concept in many disciplines and its complexity may become an even bigger source of argument in Suicidology. In spite of the intricacy of the study of this construct, the paper illustrates that various scholars have recognised the relevance of culture and ethnicity in the understanding of suicidal behaviour. The author provides evidence of the need to pay more attention to the meaning and interpretation of suicide in cross-cultural research and underlines the necessity to establish cultural-sensitive prevention strategies. The paper closes by providing methodological considerations and suggestions for future research on cultural aspects of suicidal behaviour.