Can Performance of Indigenous Factors Influence Growth and Globalisation?"

This paper employs a total of thirty four openness factors and indigenous factors to construct two indicators for 62 world economies for the period 1998-2002. While most globalization studies concentrated on openness factors, regression estimates and simulation studies show that sound performance in indigenous factors are crucial to an economy’s growth and globalization. Empirical evidence shows that an optimal performance in indigenous factors can be identified, and that successful globalized economies are equipped with strong performance in their indigenous factors.Globalization; indigenous factors; openess; world economies

Can Performance of Indigenous Factors Influence Growth and Globalization?

This paper employs a total of thirty four openness factors and indigenous factors to construct two indicators for 62 world economies for the period 1998-2002. While most globalization studies concentrated on openness factors, regression estimates and simulation studies show that sound performance in indigenous factors are crucial to an economy’s growth and globalization. Empirical evidence shows that an optimal performance in indigenous factors can be identified, and that successful globalized economies are equipped with strong performance in their indigenous factors.Globalization, indigenous factors, openness, world economies

Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of strengths model case management (SMCM) with Chinese mental health service users in Hong Kong

Introduction Strengths-based approaches mobilise individual and environmental resources that can facilitate the recovery of people with mental illness. Strengths model case management (SMCM), developed by Rapp and Goscha through collaborative efforts at the University of Kansas, offers a structured and innovative intervention. As evidence of the effectiveness of strengths-based interventions come from Western studies, which lacked rigorous research design or failed to assure fidelity to the model, we aim to fill these gaps and conduct a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to test the effectiveness of SMCM for individuals with mental illness in Hong Kong. Methods and analysis This will be an RCT of SMCM. Assuming a medium intervention effect (Cohen’s d=0.60) with 30% missing data (including dropouts), 210 service users aged 18 years or above will be recruited from three community mental health centres. They will be randomly assigned to SMCM groups (intervention) or SMILE groups (control) in a 1:1 ratio. The SMCM groups will receive strengths model interventions from case workers, whereas the SMILE groups will receive generic care from case workers with an attention placebo. The case workers will all be embedded in the community centres and will be required to provide a session with service users in both groups at least once every fortnight. There will be two groups of case workers for the intervention and control groups, respectively. The effectiveness of the SMCM will be compared between the two groups of service users with outcomes at baseline, 6 and 12 months after recruitment. Functional outcomes will also be reported by case workers. Data on working alliances and goal attainment will be collected from individual case workers. Qualitative evaluation will be conducted to identify the therapeutic ingredients and conditions leading to positive outcomes. Trained outcome assessors will be blind to the group allocation. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval from the Human Research Ethics Committee at the University of Hong Kong has been obtained (HRECNCF: EA1703078). The results will be disseminated to service users and their families via the media, to healthcare professionals via professional training and meetings and to researchers via conferences and publications

Rajang Riverine Communities in Sarawak : Living and Coping with Disasters

This research examines the perceptions of riverine communities along Rajang River in Sarawak towards the occurrences of disasters such as severe flood, riverbank erosion, and fire. Such occurrences cause damages and losses to their livelihoods. The idea of “disaster” is alien to the local communities and most of the times they have their local interpretation especially cultural-based explanation. The perception of disaster is looked through the local context and how these communities react to these events. A disaster management mechanism is in place, under the Sarawak Welfare Department (JKMNS). However, the mechanism is towards the role and coordination of various agencies in the event of disaster. At the riverine community’s level, there exist only the protocol to inform the District Office about a disaster and in severe cases, evacuation is the usual action taken. While awaiting aid to arrive, the riverine communities are left on their own to cope with the untoward happenings. A better disaster management and intervention mechanism should be in place to reduce social, economic as well as psychological impact of the victims. The empirical data for this research were gathered through interview and observation in 29 longhouses and villages along the Rajang River. Headmen of these villages and longhouses are interviewed on their views and experiences about disasters. Additionally, rituals are documented to grasp a better understanding of how riverine communities perceive disasters happen and how they cope with. Disasters are perceived as uncontrollable events but with reasons. The religious riverine communities hold the view that disasters happened due to rapid development and industrialisation. They normally adhere to the directives of the authorities by informing the District Office and wait for aid to arrive. On the other hand, the communities who are still practicing the traditional adat religion perceive that disasters are the impact of distorted human action. Thus, some of them blame such happenings as actions that have inflicted and angered the spiritual world. While waiting for government aid to arrive, the communities hold rituals to appease the spirits or “antu”. Religious beliefs play an important role in how the riverine communities in Rajang River perceive the cause and occurrence of disasters. Religious beliefs therefore influence the kind of resilience measures taken by the communities. The study is embedded in Cultural theory introduced by Mary Douglas and Aaron Wildavsky in 1982, which is important to discuss individual perceptions and interpretations towards the risks surround them

Can performance of indigenous factors influence growth and globalisation?

This paper employs a total of thirty four openness factors and indigenous factors to construct two indicators for 62 world economies for the period 1998-2002. While most globalisation studies concentrated on openness factors, regression estimates and simulation studies show that sound performance in indigenous factors are crucial to an economy's growth and globalisation. Empirical evidence shows that an optimal performance in indigenous factors can be identified, and that successful globalised economies are equipped with strong performance in their indigenous factors

Green synthesis of gamma-valerolactone (GVL) through hydrogenation of biomass-derived levulinic acid using non-noble metal catalysts : A critical review

The distinct physicochemical properties and renewable origin of gamma-valerolactone (GVL) have provided opportunities for diversifying its applications, particularly as a green solvent, excellent fuel additive, and precursor to valuable chemicals. Among the related publications found in the SCOPUS database (≈172 in the last 10 years), we focused our effort to review the conversion of levulinic acid (LA) to GVL over non-noble metal catalysts and the corresponding mechanisms (≈30 publications) as well as the applications of GVL as a solvent, fuel additive, and platform chemical (≈30 publications) mostly in the last five years (some preceding publications have also been included due to their relevance and importance in the field). The use of non-noble metals (e.g., Cu and Zr) presents a greener route of GVL synthesis than the conventional practice employing noble metals (e.g., Pd and Ru), in view of their higher abundance and milder reaction conditions needed (e.g., low pressure and temperature without H 2 involved). The significance of the catalyst characteristics in promoting catalytic transfer hydrogenation of LA to GVL is critically discussed. Structural features and acid-base properties are found to influence the activity and selectivity of catalysts. Furthermore, metal leaching in the presence of water in catalytic systems is an important issue, resulting in catalyst deactivation. Various endeavors for developing catalysts using well-dispersed metal particles along with a combination of Lewis acid and base sites are suggested for efficiently synthesizing GVL from LA

Early detection of mild cognitive impairment with in-home sensors to monitor behavior patterns in community-dwelling senior citizens in Singapore: Cross-sectional feasibility study

Singapore Management University; National Medical Research Council’s Healthcare Research Scholarshi

Can Performance of Indigenous Factors Influence Growth and Globalization?

This paper employs a total of thirty four openness factors and indigenous factors to construct two indicators for 62 world economies for the period 1998-2002. While most globalization studies concentrated on openness factors, regression estimates and simulation studies show that sound performance in indigenous factors are crucial to an economy’s growth and globalization. Empirical evidence shows that an optimal performance in indigenous factors can be identified, and that successful globalized economies are equipped with strong performance in their indigenous factors

The aminobisphosphonate pamidronate controls influenza pathogenesis by expanding a γδ T cell population in humanized mice

As shown in humanized mice, a population of Vγ9Vδ2 T cells can reduce the severity and mortality of disease caused by infection with human and avian influenza viruses