The Changing Nature of Sino-Foreign Business Relationships, 1842-1941

During the second half of the nineteenth century, foreign business enterprises relied considerably upon the service of compradors to extend their economic interests in the Chinese economy. Utilised initially to overcome the barriers presented by language difficulties, compradors were employed by western firms to undertake a variety of tasks covering both supervisory and co-ordination functions. With the growth of industrial interest by foreign businesses during the twentieth century, however, the comprador system fell into disrepute and during the 1930s was largely abandoned.This paper employs research based on primary source materials to trace this institutional transition for two specific cases. The Kailan Mining Administration (KMA), whose origins are to be found as an Anglo-Belgian free-standing company, took control of both the Kaiping and Lanchow coal mines in 1912. In order to expand its sales, the company employed the services of the comprador Liu Hongsheng who successfully built up the company’s market around Shanghai. In doing so, however, Liu became an important force in coal distribution in his own right, leading to tensions that were resolved through the creation of a joint venture operation called the Kailan Sales Administration (KSA) in 1925.British-American Tobacco (BAT) was set up in 1902 to administer the foreign markets of the American Tobacco Company and Britain’s Imperial Tobacco Company. In China, a distribution system was created using many Chinese collaborators of whom two were of particular importance. Wu Ting Seng, a member of the Chinese gentry, played a crucial intermediating role for the western company in a variety of its dealings with the Chinese. Cheang Park Chew, on the other hand, was an influential Cantonese merchant whom BAT used to distribute its goods throughout the Shanghai region. In both cases, BAT chose to alter the institutional arrangements with these collaborators from the contractual form to joint venture partnerships, unsuccessfully in the case of Wu, but with phenomenal success in the case of Cheang’s mercantile enterprise, the Wing Tai Vo Tobacco Corporation

Power as a catalyst for conflict: Can violence ever be eradicated from human society?

In the face of conflict, power can be defined as ‘the ability to get one’s needs met [1].’ Power requires not just an ability to do or act by strength and force, but also requires an inherent want and need for a commodity. Yet it is self-explanatory that a desire for power isn’t temporary, but perpetual, with those whose needs are satisfied always yearning for more. This can lead to longer term conflict, suggesting the gradient of power enrooted within society, is the sole perpetrator towards worldwide violence; yet is it possible to completely eradicate violence from society, when individuals, parties and states will never stop their crave for greater power

Impact of glycemic control on circulating endothelial progenitor cells and arterial stiffness in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) have increased risk of endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness. Levels of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are also reduced in hyperglycemic states. However, the relationships between glycemic control, levels of EPCs and arterial stiffness are unknown.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We measured circulating EPCs and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) in 234 patients with type 2 DM and compared them with 121 age- and sex-matched controls.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Patients with DM had significantly lower circulating Log CD34/KDR⁺and Log CD133/KDR⁺EPC counts, and higher Log baPWV compared with controls (all <it>P < 0.05</it>). Among those 120/234 (51%) of DM patients with satisfactory glycemic control (defined by Hemoglobin A1c, HbA1c < 6.5%), they had significantly higher circulating Log CD34/KDR⁺and Log CD133/KDR⁺EPC counts, and lower Log baPWV compared with patients with poor glycemic control (all <it>P < 0.05)</it>. The circulating levels of Log CD34/KDR⁺EPC (r = -0.46, <it>P < 0.001</it>) and Log CD133/KDR⁺EPC counts (r = -0.45, <it>P < 0.001</it>) were negatively correlated with Log baPWV. Whilst the level of HbA1c positively correlated with Log baPWV (r = 0.20, <it>P < 0.05</it>) and negatively correlated with circulating levels of Log CD34/KDR⁺EPC (r = -0.40, <it>P < 0.001</it>) and Log CD133/KDR⁺EPC (r = -0.41, <it>P < 0.001</it>). Multivariate analysis revealed that HbA1c, Log CD34/KDR⁺and Log CD133/KDR⁺EPC counts were independent predictors of Log baPWV (<it>P < 0.05</it>).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In patients with type 2 DM, the level of circulating EPCs and arterial stiffness were closely related to their glycemic control. Furthermore, DM patients with satisfactory glycemic control had higher levels of circulating EPCs and were associated with lower arterial stiffness.</p