Obesity is associated with worse peritoneal dialysis outcomes in the Australia and New Zealand patient populations

Although obesity is associated with increased risks of morbidity and death in the general population, a number of studies of patients undergoing hemodialysis have demonstrated that increasing body mass index (BMI) is correlated with decreased mortality risk. Whether this association holds true among patients treated with peritoneal dialysis (PD) has been less well studied. The aim of this investigation was to examine the association between BMI and outcomes among new PD patients in a large cohort, with long-term follow-up monitoring. Using data from the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry, an analysis of all new adult patients (n = 9679) who underwent an episode of PD treatment in Australia or New Zealand between April 1, 1991, and March 31, 2002, was performed. Patients were classified as obese (BMI of greater than or equal to30 kg/m(2)), overweight (BMI of 25.0 to 29.9 kg/m(2)), normal weight (BMI of 20 to 24.9 kg/m(2)), or underweight (BMI of

Apocalypse forever? International relations implications of 11 September

This is a contribution to ongoing discussion of the international relations issues raised by the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001. It acknowledges apparent failings (of analysis or prediction) in the IR literature but then suggests the shortcomings are really the product of divergent traditions of analysis (behaviouralism, structuralism and evolutionism) which isolate different aspects of phenomena for attention. The paper then discusses the contrast between hard power and soft power - to help identify the distinctiveness of the new forms of terrorism (their non-linear objectives and the lack of proportionality involved). It concludes on an encouraging note by urging international cooperation as a solution, even in cases where the protagonists' resentments have tended to militate against conventional channels of dispute resolution.