An exploratory study of the impacts on gardening to older people : case study to Tsuen Wan golden organic farming project

Aims This was an exploratory study to investigate how gardening could enhance and strengthen the physical health, psychological well-being and social networks of older participants. Design and participants Qualitative research methodology was adopted in this study. Interviews were conducted on ten elderly people. In order to check and confirm the information collected in the in-depth interviews and provide more useful information for our study, four older participants and four volunteer workers were invited to join our two focus group discussions (N=8) upon the completion of the in-depth interview. Data was collected between March and July of 2004. Findings In this study, we found that elderly participants benefited more in their psychological well-being and the enlargement of their social networks. On the side of psychological well-being, many older participants expressed that they felt happier and it brought a greater meaning to their life. Gardening distracted them from thinking negative thoughts, and helped them set goals as well as gain achievements in life. Another significant change was their enlargement of social networks, we found that the ties between older participants and their family members were strengthened. Moreover, elderly participants made new friends during gardening with both elderly participants and voluntary workers

Hong Kong Summer Service Program (July 4-August 12, 2005)

Now in its second year, the Hong Kong Summer Service Program is sponsored by the Lingnan Foundation, and administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE) and the Asia-Pacific Institute of Ageing Studies (APIAS). After undergoing a competitive application and interview process organized by lIE, six students from Lingnan University, Sun Yat-sen University and Lingnan (University) College were selected to participate in the program, which involves a 6-week summer internship with a community/ social service organization in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Summer Service interns were placed in a non-profit organization that addresses a social concern related to their interests. With support and guidance from APIAS, each Fellow worked in their placement organization for the duration of the program, gaining practical experience in the operation of a social service organization. They worked with executives and administrators to learn all aspects of the operation of the organization as well as doing hands on work in the services provided by the organization. To enhance their program experience, interns worked with their organization and APIAS supervisor to propose and initiate at least one service project during their internship. This year, projects undertaken by the interns included creative art classes for children, intergenerational bridge-building activities between children and the elderly, and an outing to Lingnan University for residents of a local elderly home. Interns were required to submit program proposals, budgets and reports for their chosen projects. In addition to presenting their findings at the closing seminar, after the conclusion of the program interns submit final evaluation reports, detailing their experiences, findings and results of their internship

Barriers to kidney transplants in Indonesia : a literature review

Background: People living with chronic kidney disease will require renal dialysis or a kidney transplant to maintain life. Although Indonesia has a developing healthcare industry, Indonesia\u27s kidney transplant rates are lower than comparable nations.Purpose: To explore the healthcare literature to identify barriers to kidney transplants in particular in relation to Indonesia.Methods: Healthcare databases were searched (CINAHL, Medline, EBSCOhostEJS, Blackwell Synergy, Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar and Proquest 5000) using the search terms: transplant, kidney disease, renal, dialysis, haemodialysis, Indonesia and nursing. The search was limited to English and Indonesian language data sources from 1997 to 2007. Reference lists of salient academic articles were hand searched.Results: The results of our search identified six articles that met our criteria. Costs are the major barrier to kidney transplant in Indonesia, followed by cultural beliefs, perception of the law, lack of information and lack of infrastructure. In addition, kidney disease prevention strategies are required.Conclusions: There are many complex socio-economic, geographical, legal, cultural and religious factors that contribute to low kidney transplant rates in Indonesia. Although an increase in transplantation rates will require strategies from various agencies, healthcare professionals, including nurses, can play a role in overcoming some barriers. Community education programmes, improving their own education levels and by increasing empowerment in nursing we may contribute to improved kidney transplant rates in Indonesia.<br /

Legal Pluralism in Theory and Practice

Legal pluralism has vast policy and governance implications. In developing countries, for instance, non-state justice systems often handle most disputes and retain substantial autonomy and authority. Legal pluralism's importance, however, is rarely recognized and dramatically under theorized. This article advances scholarly understanding of legal pluralism both theoretically and empirically. It proposes a new typological framework for conceptualizing legal pluralism through four distinct archetypes – combative, competitive, cooperative, and complementary – to help clarify the range of relationships between state and non-state actors. It posits five main strategies used by domestic and international actors in attempts to influence the relationship between state and non-state justice systems: bridging, harmonization, incorporation, subsidization, and repression. As post-conflict situations are fluid and can feature a wide range of relationships between state and non-state actors, they are particularly instructive for showing how legal pluralism archetypes can be shifted over time. Case studies from Timor-Leste and Afghanistan highlight that selecting an appropriate policy is vital for achieving sustainable positive outcomes. Strategies that rely on large scale spending or even the use of substantial military force in isolation are unlikely to be successful. The most promising approaches are culturally intelligible and constructively engage non-state justice networks of authority and legitimacy to collectively advance the judicial state-building process. While the case studies focus on post-conflict states, the theory presented can help understand and improve efforts to promote the rule of law as well as good governance and development more broadly in all legally pluralist settings

Rason migratory bird reserve : birds and habitats : Democratic People's Republic of Korea

In 1959, DPRK established the first group of four nature reserves and four seabird reserves according to the Decision of the Cabinet on the Protection of Useful Animals and Plants. Since then, the Government has expanded the protected areas under the categories of strict nature protected areas, natural parks, natural monument areas, habitat/species protection areas, landscape protection areas, and resources management protection areas, covering approximately 7.3% of the territory. As of 2014, 24 migratory bird (wetlands/breeding area) reserves have been designated. Amongst these reserves, habitats of NEASPEC target species, i.e. White-naped Crane (WC), Hooded Crane (HC) and Black- faced Spoonbill (BFS) are as follows: DPRK has conducted several follow-up assessments such as a general investigation of wetlands in 1997 and an investigation of protected areas during 2000-2001 to update the database and identify threats to conservation. Nonetheless, there are pressing issues threatening the country’s ecosystem, for instance, degraded mountainous forest due to deforestation and climate change; important habitats for migratory birds being under pressure due to development and agriculture; and serious biodiversity loss due to anthropogenic factors. The “Environment and Climate Change Outlook of DPRK”, a report jointly published by DPRK and UNEP in 2012, made the following recommendations to enhance effectiveness and efficiency on migratory bird reserves : - Representativeness: protected areas should include a representative sample of biodiversity, with more attention to the underrepresented species - Connectivity: habitats between protected areas, such as (transboundary) ecological corridors, should also be considered for conservation actions - Priority: areas of significant ecosystem service provision, and threatened or endangered biodiversity should be given more concerns - Effectiveness: existing actions should be regularly monitored and evaluated, as well as adjusted and improved based on the changing circumstances Rason Migratory Bird Reserve is one of the thirteen migratory bird reserves with NEASPEC target species observed as shown in Table 1. It is located at the east of Rason Special Economic Zone, which borders China and the Russian Federation, and is adjacent to the Tumen River Estuary. The Reserve therefore has a vital role in conservation and transboundary cooperation of the overall Delta habitat. It was designated as a category IV reserve (under IUCN criteria) by the Administration Council of Ratification in 1995, as one of the twenty-four migratory bird reserves in DPRK. It covers 3,200 ha (32 km2) of wetland, rice farmlands, and hilly areas around three natural lakes: Manpo, Dongbonpo and Sobonpo in North Hamgyong Province. The lakes have been used as rice paddy (Lower Sobonpo), for irrigation and aquaculture including prawn-farming, with duck farms at the lakeshore. As a part of Rason Special Economic Zone and the East Asian-Australasian Flyway which is the most threatened migratory bird flyway, it is extremely important that Rason’s internationally important habitats are conserved while ensuring that national and regional plans for development are fully respected. Rason is currently undergoing rapid development both within and outside its city centre. This includes establishment of new tourist infrastructure including hotels, restaurants and sightseeing spots, and the conversion of natural habitat into aquaculture farms. For that reason, Rason Special Economic Zone Authority has supported this survey to determine the current status of birds and local habitats, as well as to exchange views on conservation and development. Research and monitoring on migratory birds in the Chinese and Russian territories of the Tumen River Delta indicates that it is a habitat for thousands of migratory birds including globally vulnerable migratory bird species. In this connection, Hanns-Seidel-Foundation and UNESCAP East and North-East Asia Office (ENEA), with the generous support of the Economic Cooperation Bureau of the People’s Committee of Rason City, conducted a field survey in Rason Migratory Bird Reserve during 26-31 March 2014. With the habitat and birds data generated from this survey, the gap can be filled to provide a much more complete picture of the Tumen River Delta habitat. Most importantly, this information forms the scientific and technical basis for economic development whilst enabling Rason’s wetlands to be conserved

Fieldwork after Conflict: Contextualising the Challenges of Access and Data Quality

Despite sustained scholarly interest in post‐conflict states, there has not been a thorough review and analysis of associated methodology and the challenges of conducting research in these contexts. Addressing this gap, this paper directs attention to the particular effects of these settings on access and data quality and their ramifications for the resulting scholarship. It assesses the intrinsic challenges of performing fieldwork in these environments, drawing on both relevant social science literature and the authors’ experiences of carrying out research in Afghanistan and Timor‐Leste. The study demonstrates that the post‐conflict environment moulds research design and, consequently, influences how questions are answered as well as the questions asked. Moreover, it highlights ways to mitigate these issues. This work is of relevance to scholars planning to engage in field research and to researchers reflecting upon their work, as well as to policymakers who are considering undertaking programmes or commissioning research in post‐conflict areas

Use of Information and Communication Technologies in the formal and informal health system responses to the 2015 Nepal earthquakes

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are increasingly recognised for their potential contributions to health service delivery in Low-and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). As well as playing a role in improving the provision of health services under everyday “normal” circumstances, ICTs can also be important in preparing for, mitigating, responding to, and recovering from disasters. This research explores the use of ICTs in a natural disaster situation in Nepal, a country affected by a series of strong earthquakes in 2015. In March and April 2016, in-depth semi-structured interviews (n=24) and focus group discussions (n=4) were conducted with key informants: those affected by the earthquake, and those forming part of the formal or informal health system responses. Data was collected and analysed across three levels, from the bottom “upwards”, namely: (i) village level; (ii) district level, and (iii) central/national level. Perceptions of the role and value of ICTs varied greatly – as did patterns of use. While access and capability were found to be key barriers to use rurally, ICTs were nevertheless an important part of the informal response, helping people to gather information, express needs, and cope emotionally. They also helped relief agencies in allowing for networking and coordination among actors. Use of ICTs in the formal health system response, however, was severely lacking in many areas, relying more on traditional methods of disaster management. This reflects a general deficiency in, and underuse of, ICTs in the pre-earthquake Nepali healthcare system. We conclude by calling for a redoubling of efforts to improve and increase the adoption, diffusion, integration and regular use of ICTs within the Nepali health system – an approach that will assist with day-to-day service delivery but also provide a crucial platform upon which to build during future crises

Bear bile: dilemma of traditional medicinal use and animal protection

Bear bile has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for thousands of years. Modern investigations showed that it has a wide range of pharmacological actions with little toxicological side effect and the pure compounds have been used for curing hepatic and biliary disorders for decades. However, extensive consumption of bear bile made bears endangered species. In the 1980's, bear farming was established in China to extract bear bile from living bears with "Free-dripping Fistula Technique". Bear farming is extremely inhumane and many bears died of illness such as chronic infections and liver cancer. Efforts are now given by non-governmental organizations, mass media and Chinese government to end bear farming ultimately. At the same time, systematic research has to be done to find an alternative for bear bile. In this review, we focused on the literature, laboratory and clinical results related to bear bile and its substitutes or alternative in English and Chinese databases. We examined the substitutes or alternative of bear bile from three aspects: pure compounds derived from bear bile, biles from other animals and herbs from TCM. We then discussed the strategy for stopping the trading of bear bile and issues of bear bile related to potential alternative candidates, existing problems in alternative research and work to be done in the future