Thunder and Lightning Over Taiwan

The joint communique on 17 August 1982 between the United States and the People\u27s Republic of China over future US arms sales to Taiwan was a carefully crafted document responsible for preventing a likely downgrading of relations between Washington and Beijing

Strategic Trends in Asia: U.S. Policy Toward Regional Communist States

A basic national interest of the United States is to prevent the domination of the Eurasian landmass—the so-called heartland—by one hostile state or group of states. This objective is important to U.S. survival because a hostile government controlling this vast region would have the resources to isolate and perhaps eventually destroy the United States

Effects of Drought Conditions on Microbial Communities in Native Rangelands

Climate change is a result of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. These changes are expected to cause extreme weather conditions, including severe storms. Large amounts of rain will fall in shorter periods of time, leading to heavy runoff, and increasing the severity of drought conditions within the soil (Zeglin et al. 2013). Native grasslands occupy almost a quarter of the earth’s land surface and are valuable ecological resources. They contain soils with high concentrations of organic matter and play a key role in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions through carbon sequestration. There are a variety of grassland management techniques including annual burning, patch burning, and cattle grazing. These management techniques can be beneficial for ecosystems, but can also alter soil compositions (Jerome et al. 2014). Microbial communities in the soil influence many ecosystem processes such as nutrient acquisition, carbon and nitrogen cycling, and soil formation (Heijden et al. 2008). Changes in precipitation patterns can effect microbes in these grasslands by causing shifts in community composition, and changes in nutrient cycling and decomposition processes. Many microbial activities can be directly correlated with water availability, and drought conditions may be detrimental to these grazed grassland ecosystems (Gray et al. 2011). Summer months and differences in time lead to changes in temperatures and rainfall patters, similarly having the potential to alter activity and structure of microbial communities. This study was conducted at the Konza Prairie Biological Station in eastern Kansas, USA. Soil samples were collected to compare June versus July and moist versus dry treatments. Findings from this study concluded that seasonal changes through June and July alter microbial communities in Konza Prairie soil. Total PLFA concentrations significantly increased, with the largest increase occurring in fungi. This change caused a decrease in relative abundance of gram positive and gram negative bacteria, and also an increase in the ratio of fungi to bacteria. Drought conditions caused no significant change in microbial communities, suggesting the microbes in the soil have a high tolerance for lack of moisture

Sediment Phosphorus Release at Lake Fayetteville, Summer 2020

The purpose of this project was to evaluate the release of dissolved phosphorus (P) from bottom sediment at Lake Fayetteville, and the potential use of aluminum sulfate (Al2(SO4)3) to remediate the P stored and released by bottom sediments. Intact sediment cores (n=18) were taken at three locations, named inlet, mid and dam sites at Lake Fayetteville. The cores were incubated with 1 L of overlying water with light excluded and bubbled with air (half, aerobic treatment) and N2 (other half, anaerobic). Water samples were pulled and analyzed for soluble reactive P (SRP), and that water was replaced with filtered lake water with SRP less than the lab’s method detection limit (MDL, ≤0.005 mg L‐1). The SRP mass accumulating in the overlying water was used to estimate SRP release rates from the sediment, and mean rates were compared by treatments, sites and before and after alum dosing. Sediment SRP release rates were significantly greater under anaerobic conditions (mean=7.22 mg m‐2 d‐1) than aerobic (mean=0.85 mg m‐2 d‐1), and within those conditions rates were not different between sites. The addition of alum to the overlying water reduced SRP concentrations near the MDL in most cores, and sediment SRP release rates were significantly less after alum dosing, except for the cores from the mid lake site under aerobic conditions. Overall, it likely that this internal SRP source is an important factor in the development and occurrence of harmful algal blooms (and likely microcystin production) at Lake Fayetteville. Alum might be a means to successfully reduce this internal SRP source

Mental Health Related Needs Among the Indochinese Refugees in the Denver Metropolitan Area

A survey assessment was made of mental-health-related needs among the Indochinese refugees in the Denver metropolitan area. The survey form used involved separate assessments for thirteen basic human needs, ten life area satisfactions, twenty-three psychological effects, seventeen psychophysiological indicators, and corresponding global scores. Analyses of age, sex, and ethnic sub9roups within the Indochinese sample revealed strong and oervasive ethnic differences. Age and sex differences were present but were minor by comparison. Comparison and covariation analyses were used to develop a portrayal of the general character anrl circumstances of the Vietnamese, H'Mong, and Cambodians and the implied characteristic psychological strains associated with each. Further analyses suggested the kind of individual variations and symptom patterns that might be characteristic of each group. The findings were presented as relevant for prevention, outreach, training, service, and oolicy planni ng. A set of guidelines for service providers, based in part on these results, is planned for the near future

Transitioning to Multiple-use Polyculture Grassland-derived Bioenergy Feedstock Systems

We argue that research and development of grassland-derived bioenergy feedstock (GBF) has focused unduly on dedicated monospecific biomass systems to the detriment of more stable multiple-use multispecies grasslands. This has retarded GBF adoption as a viable, sustainable contribution to renewable energy production in North America. We hypothesize that focusing on multiple-use GBFs will foster greater feedstock availability for nascent renewable energy generation while minimizing financial risk to grassland husbandry during market transitions from current grazing systems to more flexible business models. Our hypothesis is that source and demand are more likely to develop simultaneously under less risky multiple-use grassland management. We review what little research exists detailing such multiple-use systems that include GBF as a major component. We propose that more federal and private sector research funding should focus on perennial forage legumes and bunchgrasses for multiple uses including forage, bioenergy, grassland restoration, wildlife, and ecosystems services such as hydrology, carbon capture and biodiversity. These data cover both native and introduced species in cultivated pastures as well as managed rangeland and native grassland. We conclude that more research effort should be focused on multiple-use GBF in order to identify individual species, mixtures and ecosystems that provide flexibility in the face of unpredictable grassland environments and volatile energy markets

Snapshots of interprofessional education to enhance clinical team work and self-efficacy

Complex care needs of patients in health services means that multi-disciplinary treatments are required. To work productively as a team member in this environment requires education and training. Inter-professional Education (IPE) research shows that health practitioners who are educated and trained to work together promote patient safety (ACQSHC, 2005; Morrissey et al, 2010). However, the literature and observation from practice shows that training is either absent or ad hoc. Thus, practitioners are not adequately prepared for the differences world-views and in practices that may occur as a result of diverse discipline-based theories and skills. Tensions inevitably arise and the very basis for multidisciplinary teams – to embrace diverse views - is undermined because clinicians feel threatened and unhappy. Across the world there are many innovative educators who have embraced the challenge of developing IPE and from which we all can learn. This paper provides snapshots of practice from five countries. We discuss situations in need of improvement, educational interventions and evaluation data illustrating positive outcomes. Expected outcomes of the presentation are that educators are inspired to draw on and adapt these ideas so that inter-professional learning in health is integrated into curricula and utilised to improve patient safety and clinicians’ self-efficacy

Assessing the effectiveness and observing fidelity of a psychosocial support program for Rohingya refugee mothers and their children in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

Introduction: Despite the well-recognized risk poor maternal mental health poses to early child development, it is still rarely addressed in global health programming, especially in humanitarian settings where access to health and mental health infrastructures may be limited. Recognizing the critical role of maternal psychosocial wellness in addressing the health and development of children in conflict, Action contre La Faim/Action Against Hunger (ACF) developed the Baby Friendly Spaces (BFS) program. BFS is a holistic, evidenced-based psychosocial support program that aims to enhance mothers’ wellbeing, internal resources, and child caring skills in order to create a buffer against the deleterious health and developmental impacts of conflict on children. Objectives: In Bangladesh, we sought to evaluate the effectiveness of a psychosocial support program for Rohingya refugee mothers and their malnourished children under two years old living in Cox’s Bazar’s camps. Methods: For this study, we used a matched pair randomization, where ten BFS program sites were allocated to either continue providing services “as usual” or to an “enhanced BFS program” after re-training and providing continuous supportive supervision of the BFS staff throughout the trial period. 600 mothers and their children were enrolled in the study and attended psychosocial stimulation activities related to child care practices and care for women. Data were collected at baseline and 8-week follow-up. Primary outcomes included maternal distress and wellbeing, functioning, and coping. For implementation purpose, a survey was administered on confidence at work for all BFS staff and a fidelity observation assessment was conducted. Results: Relative to “as usual” sites, mothers in enhanced implementation sites reported greater reductions in distress (B=-.30) and improvement in wellbeing (B=.58). These differences were small, but marginally significant (p=.058; p=.038) with standard estimation; There was no significant difference between the two groups for daily functioning and coping. BFS providers in “enhanced BFS program” reported higher confidence in service delivery than their colleagues (p=.01). Fidelity varied widely across different components, with some very high and some very low adherence. There tended to be better adherence to procedures in group versus individual sessions and for some specific activities across domains, for enhanced versus standard BFS. Conclusions: Findings highlight the value of innovative study approaches for real-world evidence generation. Small but feasible adjustments to implementation can both improve program delivery for maximizing impact. Consequently, low-intensity psychosocial support activities holds potential for reducing distress and improving subjective well-being of conflict affected mothers

Case studies of interprofessional education initiatives from five countries

Background Although teamwork and interprofessional collaboration are critical to patient safety, healthcare graduates frequently report that they often feel ill-prepared to confidently communicate and collaborate with other team members. While interprofessional education has been advocated as a way of addressing this issue, there are multiple barriers to its systematic and sustained integration in undergraduate healthcare programs. Despite these challenges, examples of effective IPE initiatives have emerged. Purpose This paper profiles seven case studies of innovative interprofessional education activities that have been successfully implemented across five countries, for a variety of learners and using different delivery modalities. The evaluation results from these interprofessional education activities attest to their impact and positive outcomes. Conclusion These case studies demonstrate that the barriers to interprofessional education can be overcome when creative and targeted approaches are used. This paper provides a wealth of ideas for the successful design and implementation of interprofessional education initiatives and will be of benefit to educators wishing to expand their repertoire of teaching approaches. Clinical Relevance: A body of research attests to the relationship between interprofessional communication, teamwork and patient outcomes. Interprofessional education is imperative for facilitating the development of graduates’ communication and teamwork skills, however, innovative approaches are needed to overcome the perceived and actual impediments to its implementation