Foreign Direct Investment in Manufacturing Sector in Malaysia

This paper analyses the determinants of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the manufacturing sector in Malaysia from eleven countries during the period 1988 to 2000. The empirical results indicate that gross domestic product, lending interest rate, labour productivity, exports to home country and imports from home country significantly influenced the level of FDI inflows into Malaysia. However, exchange rate, exchange rate variation, wage and openness index were not important in influencing FDI.foreign direct investment, manufacturing sector, International Relations/Trade,

The role of serial physical examinations in the management of angioedema involving the head and neck: A prospective observational study

AbstractObjectiveTo elucidate the progression of angioedema of the head and neck with routine management and to assess the utility of serial physical exams and fiberoptic laryngoscopy in its management.MethodsThis study was a prospective observational research. From 2013 to 2014, a prospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary referral center. Forty patient were approached, 7 refused, 33 (18–90 years old) were enrolled. Patients presented with angioedema involving the head and neck over a 12 month period were asked to participate in the study. Physical examination and fiberoptic laryngoscopy were performed at presentation and then repeated at least 1 h later.ResultsThirty-three patients with head and neck angioedema from any cause were enrolled (mean age 58, range 23–89 years). The upper lip was the most commonly involved site (58%). On reevaluation, 82% of patients reported subjective improvement in symptoms. The association between subjective improvement and the physical exam, including fiberoptic laryngoscopy findings, was statistically significant (P < 0.001).ConclusionIn stable patients with angioedema of any head and neck subsite, self-reported symptoms are associated with clinical stability or improvement as assessed by physical signs and fiberoptic laryngoscopy. Patients' symptoms may be an appropriate surrogate to monitor clinical status without the need for routine serial physical examinations or fiberoptic laryngoscopy, though further study is needed

Anticoagulation Control in Warfarin-Treated Patients Undergoing Cardioversion of Atrial Fibrillation (from the Edoxaban Versus Enoxaparin-Warfarin in Patients Undergoing Cardioversion of Atrial Fibrillation Trial).

In the Edoxaban Versus Enoxaparin-Warfarin in Patients Undergoing Cardioversion of Atrial Fibrillation (ENSURE-AF) study (NCT 02072434), edoxaban was compared with enoxaparin-warfarin in 2,199 patients undergoing electrical cardioversion of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF). In this multicenter prospective randomized open blinded end-point trial, we analyzed patients randomized to enoxaparin-warfarin. We determined time to achieve therapeutic range (TtTR); time in therapeutic range (TiTR); their clinical determinants; relation to sex, age, medical history, treatment, tobacco use, race risk (SAMe-TT2R2) score; and impact on primary end points (composite of stroke, systemic embolic event[SEE], myocardial infarction [MI], and cardiovascular death [CVD] and composite of major + clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding). Among 1,104 patients randomized to enoxaparin-warfarin, 27% were naïve to oral anticoagulants. Mean age was 64.2 ± 11 years and mean congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 (doubled), diabetes mellitus, prior stroke or transient ischemic attack (doubled), vascular disease, age 65-74, female (CHA2DS2-VASc) score was 2.6. Mean TtTR was 7.7 days (median 7 days) and mean TiTR after reaching an international normalized ratio of 2.0 to 3.0 was 71%. In 695 patients who had an INR 2. On multivariate regression, an independent predictor of extended TtTR was creatinine clearance (p = 0.02). TtTR was marginally related to stroke/SEE/MI/CVD (p = 0.06; odds ratio  0.23, 95% confidence interval 0.02 to 1.17) but not to any bleeding. Independent predictors of TiTR were previous vitamin K antagonist experience (p65, concomitant drugs or alcohol (HAS-BLED) score (p = 0.02). TiTR was related to any bleeding (p = 0.02; odds ratio  0.39, 95% confidence interval 0.16 to 0.88), but not stroke/SEE/MI/CVD. In this cohort of warfarin users with a high TiTR no difference was seen between TtTR and TiTR in relation to SAMe-TT2R2 score. In conclusion, even in this short-term study, TiTR was significantly related to bleeding events

12th Annual Symposium on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Issues Brochure

This post contains the 12th Annual Symposium on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Issues Brochure and the Ms Word doc it was created in. 12th Annual Symposium on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Issues Brochure; The University of Rhode Island 12th Annual Symposium on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Issues; Pathways to Equality, Facets of Freedom; Schedule at a Glance April 19-22, 2006; Acknowledgements Our Symposium is free and open to public thanks to the contributions and support of the following: The Office of The Vice President for Student Affairs, The University of Rhode Island GLBT Center, URI Memorial Union, URI Multicultural Center, URI Women\u27s Center, URI Library, URI Dept. of Housing and Residential Life, URI Health Services, URI Catering Services, URI Parking Services, URI News Bureau, AIDS Project RI, AIDS Quilt RI, Options News Magazine, URI Student Life, URI Career Services, Santiago, Inc., Hillel, Women\u27s Studies, Edge Publications, Providence, Gay? fine by me, Sarah Mecca; Symposium Organizing Committee : Kiev-Tuen Atreides, Bekki Davis, Al Lott, Joseph A Santiago, Aja Van Dyke, Andrew Winters.; Mission: The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Center at the University of Rhode Island strives to create a welcoming and safe environment for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Prioritizing around dimensions of education, support, and advocacy, the GLBT Center works directly with students, faculty, staff and community members to provide related programs and services.; WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 7:30PM, HARDGE FORUM, MULTICULTURAL CENTER “The Case of Professor Martha Deane: Sexuality and Power at Cold War UCLA” In 1952, Martha Deane, a tenured UCLA professor of physical education, was forced into early retirement: she was accused by a neighbor of having sexual relations with another woman in her own home. Professor Deane’s expulsion from the University of California at Los Angeles illustrates the intertwining of Cold War hysteria, sexual anxieties, and homophobia that characterized life in the United States in the early 1950s. This talk will examine Martha Deane’s story in a past period of political repression as a way of thinking about our own time.; Kathleen Weiler is a Professor in the Department of Education at Tufts University. Her research has focused on the social, historical and political context of education in relation to questions of gender. She has published a number of books, including ethnographic studies of classroom teaching, theoretical discussions of feminist theory and pedagogy, and historical studies of women educators in the American West. Her teaching includes philosophy of education, gender and education, and the history of education.; THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 10:00AM TO 3:30PM, GALANTI LOUNGE, UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 10:00-11:30 “Locating the Marriage Movement in a Wider Queer Context” Jenn Steinfeld, Marriage Equality RI 11:30-12:30 “Understanding Down Low Phenomena” Curtis Ferguson, II 12:30-1:30 “Breaking the Boxes: An Open Spirituality“ Mary Latela, author: [email protected] 1:30-2:30 “Battling Bisexual Erasure: A Personal Struggle Against Invisibility” Ron Suresha, writer/ editor 2:30-3:30 “Beyond the Pathos of One-dimensional Relating: Re-conceptualizing Enmeshment in Lesbian Couples” A. Cassandra Golding; THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 7:30PM, HARDGE FORUM, MULTICULTURAL CENTER Reading from “The Legend of Bushistotle: History’s Greatest Philosopher-Warrior-King,” a satirical parody of the Bush Administration by author Steven Hanley, who will also discuss obstacles he has faced as a gay writer trying to publish a book critical of Bush and the Catholic Church. For further information about Steven Hanley and his upcoming book visit: http://www.stevenhanley.com; FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 10:00AM-4:00PM, GALANTI LOUNGE, UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 10:00-11:00 “Pride and Punishment: Why Prisons are a Queer Issue” Daniel Bassichis, Vanessa Huang, Justice Now 11:00-12:00 “Evaluation of a Safe Spaces Program for LGBTQ College Students” R. Steven Schiavo 12:00-1:30 Discussion of the Gay? Fine By Me Project with founder Lucas Schaefer : www.finebyme.org 1:30-3:00 “Lifelines: Critical Benefits of Harm Reduction Clinics and Transition Resources for Transgender and Transsexual Youth” Gavriel Ansara 3:00-4:00 “Is it Time to End ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’?” Peter Cassels, Edge Publications www.edgeprovidence.com; FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 7:30PM, ROBERT E. WILL THEATRE FINE ARTS CENTER The URI Theatre Department presents Tony Kushner’s Pulitzer Prize, Tony-Award winning play, “Angels in America (Part I, Millennium Approaches).” This performance is dedicated to the Rhode Island Project AIDS Benefit and the Annual URI GLBT Symposium. Tickets for this performance will be $16 general,$12 seniors, URI Faculty and Staff and $10 for students. Two dollars from each ticket will be donated to RI Project AIDS. A post-performance panel discussion will relate play themes to AIDS issues in Rhode Island.; Saturday, April 22, 12:00pm-4:30pm, Galanti Lounge, University Library “Queer Youth Issues.” Workshops and discussions presented by Youth Pride, Inc. (YPI) and the Providence Youth Student Movement (PrYSM). 5:00pm Rainbow Diversity House Dinner discussion and evening social activitie

Self domestication and the evolution of language

We set out an account of how self-domestication plays a crucial role in the evolution of language. In doing so, we focus on the growing body of work that treats language structure as emerging from the process ofcultural transmission. We argue that a full recognition of the importance of cultural transmission fundamentally changes the kind ofquestionswe should be asking regarding the biological basis of language structure. If we think of language structure as reflecting an accumulated set of changes in our genome, then we might ask something like, "What are the genetic bases of language structure and why were they selected?" However, if cultural evolution can account for language structure, then this question no longer applies. Instead, we face the task of accounting for the origin of the traits that enabled that process of structure-creating cultural evolution to get started in the first place. In light of work on cultural evolution, then, the new question for biological evolution becomes, "How did those precursor traits evolve?" We identify two key precursor traits: (1) the transmission of the communication system throughlearning; and (2) the ability to infer thecommunicative intentassociated with a signal or action. We then describe two comparative case studies-the Bengalese finch and the domestic dog-in which parallel traits can be seen emerging followingdomestication. Finally, we turn to the role of domestication in human evolution. We argue that the cultural evolution of language structure has its origin in an earlier process of self-domestication.</p

PREDICT-CP: study protocol of implementation of comprehensive surveillance to predict outcomes for school-aged children with cerebral palsy

Objectives: Cerebral palsy (CP) remains the world’s most common childhood physical disability with total annual costs of care and lost well-being of $A3.87b. The PREDICT-CP (NHMRC 1077257 Partnership Project: Comprehensive surveillance to PREDICT outcomes for school age children with CP) study will investigate the influence of brain structure, body composition, dietary intake, oropharyngeal function, habitual physical activity, musculoskeletal development (hip status, bone health) and muscle performance on motor attainment, cognition, executive function, communication, participation, quality of life and related health resource use costs. The PREDICT-CP cohort provides further follow-up at 8–12 years of two overlapping preschool-age cohorts examined from 1.5 to 5 years (NHMRC 465128 motor and brain development; NHMRC 569605 growth, nutrition and physical activity). Methods and analyses: This population-based cohort study undertakes state-wide surveillance of 245 children with CP born in Queensland (birth years 2006–2009). Children will be classified for Gross Motor Function Classification System; Manual Ability Classification System, Communication Function Classification System and Eating and Drinking Ability Classification System. Outcomes include gross motor function, musculoskeletal development (hip displacement, spasticity, muscle contracture), upper limb function, communication difficulties, oropharyngeal dysphagia, dietary intake and body composition, participation, parent-reported and child-reported quality of life and medical and allied health resource use. These detailed phenotypical data will be compared with brain macrostructure and microstructure using 3 Tesla MRI (3T MRI). Relationships between brain lesion severity and outcomes will be analysed using multilevel mixed-effects models. Ethics and dissemination: The PREDICT-CP protocol is a prospectively registered and ethically accepted study protocol. The study combines data at 1.5–5 then 8–12 years of direct clinical assessment to enable prediction of outcomes and healthcare needs essential for tailoring interventions (eg, rehabilitation, orthopaedic surgery and nutritional supplements) and the projected healthcare utilisation