Child Maltreatment and Intimate Partner Violence Among Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Canadians

Indigenous peoples of Canada face an elevated risk of intimate partner violence (IPV) compared to non-Indigenous Canadians. Few empirical studies have been conducted to understand this elevated risk, and none have examined child maltreatment (CM) as a predictor. This study used data on a nationally representative sample of 20,446 Canadians to examine CM and proximal risk factors for IPV against Indigenous and non-Indigenous respondents. Results showed that Indigenous respondents had greater risk of experiencing both CM and IPV. All three forms of CM (exposure to violence, direct physical and/or sexual abuse victimization, as well as both exposure and direct victimization) were associated with increased odds of IPV in adulthood. CM along with proximal risk factors accounted for Indigenous peoples’ elevated odds of IPV (AOR = 1.62; NS). These results were consistent with the theory that Indigenous peoples’ elevated risk of IPV is largely due to effects of historical trauma from past and continuing colonization. Reducing Indigenous peoples’ disproportionate risk of IPV requires efforts to reduce CM and its negative developmental effects among Indigenous peoples as well as resolving the manifestations of historical and contemporary trauma within Indigenous society.     

Newspaper reporting of suicide cases in Hong Kong

This study addresses the concerns over newspapers' reporting of suicide cases in Hong Kong, SAR (Special Administrative Region), using the WHO guidelines on the reporting of suicide news as a reference for comparison. We compared the official suicide information extracted from the Coroner's Court for the year 2000 with newspaper reports on suicides taken from five major Chinese local newspapers, which accounted for about 80% of the total circulation in Hong Kong. The type of newspaper reporting on suicides was also examined. Newspapers tended to report on those suicide victims who suffered relationship problems, whereas those who had family problems were significantly underreported. Among the suicides reported in the newspapers, 6.2% were found on the front page and the majority of the reports were presented pictorially. The reporting of suicides was selective and the coverage was incomplete, with student suicides reported excessively. The method of reporting for Hong Kong newspapers was not in line with the recommendations of the WHO or international best practices on presenting suicide news. For this reason we recommend a partnership approach with active participation from the media on suicide prevention so that communication professionals can proactively participate in suicide prevention work more effectively.     

Can't get no satisfaction? The recognition of revisionist states

Attributions of satisfaction or dissatisfaction to states forman important foundation of theories about international relations,especially with respect to the outbreak of war among major powers.This paper addresses several conceptual and empirical problemsin the application of these attributions. It first offers acritique of the conventional denotation of states as putativelysatisfied or dissatisfied. It then presents the multiple connotationsthat this distinction has been associated with. This is followedby the suggestion of an alternative indicator, based on theextent of a state's participation in international governmentalorganizations (IGOs), for assessing and tracking national satisfaction/dissatisfaction.The paper then proceeds to a discussion of prior studies ofthe power-transition theory, and presents a serial reading ofnational satisfaction/dissatisfaction on the part of the maincontenders for international leadership from 1860 to 1949. Givenits central role in the wars among these contenders, Germany'sscores are the subject of special scrutiny. The proposed measureof satisfaction/dissatisfaction, when combined with the occurrenceof power shifts as determined by prior research, shows a strongassociation with the timing of past wars between major powers.The conclusion discusses some further theoretical and policyimplications of the perspective presented.     

China and the WTO: the theory and practice of compliance

Since China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in December2001, attention has turned to the issue of whether or not Chinais a responsible member of the organization and how compliantChina is with WTO rules. This article discusses the difficultiesfaced by China, as a responsible rising power, in trying toadjust itself to global trading norms. It examines the theoryof compliance in international relations from the perspectivesof neo-realism, liberal institutionalism and social constructivism,and then tests these perspectives by examining the mechanismsused to gauge China's compliance, both bilaterally by the UnitedStates and multilaterally through the Dispute Settlement Mechanismand the Transition Review Mechanism of the WTO. The result ismixed: different opinions exist as to how compliant China hasbeen but, on the whole, most monitors agree that China has triedhard to comply with WTO requirements in various areas, thoughmuch remains to be done. The most severe tests will come inthe next few years when China's financial and service sectorswill have to face fundamental changes to the way they operate.     

STR data for the PowerPlex 16 loci for the Chinese population in Hong Kong

Allele frequencies for the 15 STR loci included in the PowerPlex 16 kit were obtained from a sample of 247 unrelated Chinese in Hong Kong.     

The effect of oleoresin capsicum "pepper" spray inhalation on respiratory function

We performed a randomized, cross-over controlled trial to assess the effect of Oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray inhalation on respiratory function by itself and combined with restraint. Thirty-five subjects were exposed to OC or placebo spray, followed by 10 min of sitting or prone maximal restraint position (PMRP). Spirometry, oximetry, and end-tidal CO2 levels were collected at baseline and throughout the 10 min. Data were compared between groups (ANOVA) and with predefined normal values. In the sitting position, OC did not result in any significant changes in mean percent predicted forced vital capacity (%predFVC), percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s (%predFEV1), oxygen, or CO2 levels. In PMRP, mean %predFVC and %predFEV1 fell 14.4 and 16.5% for placebo and 16.2 and 19.1% for OC, but were not significantly different by exposure. There was no evidence of hypoxemia or hypercapnia in either groups. OC exposure did not result in abnormal spirometry, hypoxemia, or hypoventilation when compared to placebo in either sitting or PMRP.     

Sudden death from massive pulmonary tumor embolism due to hepatocellular carcinoma

Massive pulmonary embolism in cancer patients can be due to detached thrombi or tumor. Pulmonary tumor embolism is often undiagnosed antemortem. We report a 52-year-old Chinese man admitted for management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Computerized tomography showed tumor involvement of hepatic vein and inferior vena cava. He died suddenly on the day of admission. At autopsy the main pulmonary arteries of both lungs were blocked by large tumor emboli, the immediate cause of death. Although rapid death in patients with HCC is usually caused by intraperitoneal hemorrhage from spontaneous rupture of tumor, massive pulmonary tumor embolism should also be considered in these patients, especially when antemortem evidence of hepatic vein and/or inferior vena cava invasion is present.