The use of a packed column for the determination of bupivacaine in human plasma by gas chromatography: an application in a pharmacokinetic study of bupivacaine.

The method involves a single extraction of the drug and the internal standard, etidocaine, from alkalinized plasma with n-hexane. The gas chromatograph is equipped with a glass column (2.0 m x 2 mm) packed with 3% W/W SP2250 on Chromosorb W, (80/100 mesh) and a nitrogen sensitive detector. The method can accurately measure plasma bupivacaine concentrations down to 0.01 micrograms ml-1 using a sample size of 0.5 ml. The day-to-day variation of bupivacaine at 2.0 micrograms ml-1 is 6.90% (n = 10). The calibration graph is linear over the range 0.1-4.0 micrograms ml-1. The method is accurate, fast and sensitive and has been applied in a pharmacokinetic study of bupivacaine.     

Legislation

On Sunday, 6 August 2006, at 2.30 a.m., the Hong Kong Legislative Council, after a prolonged and at times litigious debate, passed the Interception of Communications Surveillance Ordinance (ICO) in Hong Kong with a vote of 32–0. The ICO is the first successful attempt to regulate the interception of citizens' private communications by the Hong Kong government. A review of the literature shows that there has been no comprehensive, systematic and critical assessment of the IOC since its passage. This article provides a critical assessment of ICO, with a twist. Instead of evaluating the ICO based on preconceived and conventional Western jurisprudential principles and foreign legal practices, the article assesses ICO with reference to prevailing (Chinese‐Hong Kong) cultural standards from within, i.e. that of Qing‐Li‐Fa (QLF).     

The last governor,Asian values and China's uniqueness

Chris Patten, East and West — The Last Governor of Hong Kong on Power, Freedom and the Future (London: Macmillan, 1998), 304 pp.     

Knowing When to Salute

Due to a strong “Can Do” spirit and a well-engrained, albeit simplistic, notion of civilian control over the military, senior military leaders are disinclined to publicly share their disagreement with emerging national security policy. Many senior officers mistakenly believe that there are no alternatives other than just silently executing, resigning, or retiring when confronted with bad policy formulation. There are, however, options available to senior uniformed leaders when confronted with policy formulation that they, in their professional opinion, believe is flawed. Depending on the degree to which the civilian authorities are receptive to military advice and the magnitude of the threat to national security involved in the policy, senior military leaders can choose among many alternatives to widen the policy debate.     

Application of cytochrome b DNA sequences for the authentication of endangered snake species

In order to enforce the conservation program and curbing the illegal trading and consumption of endangered snake species, the value of cytochrome b sequence in the authentication of snake species was evaluated. As an illustration, DNA was extracted, selected cytochrome b DNA sequences amplified and sequenced from six snakes commonly consumed in Hong Kong. Cataloging with sequences available in public, a cytochrome b database containing 90 species of snakes was constructed. In this database, sequence homology between snakes ranged from 70.68 to 95.11%. On the other hand, intraspecific variation of three tested snakes was 0-0.98%. Using the database, we were able to determine the identity of six meat samples confiscated by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, HKSAR.     

Does investing in identity work? An examination of the ethnocentric social capital theory from an oriental perspective

The central thrust of this paper questions the notion of ‘investing in identity’ in the current approach to social capital, and challenges the assumption that the poor can draw upon their identities as productive resources to alleviate poverty. This paper argues that the mainstream social capital model is largely based on the economic model of rationality, which assumes that individuals are rational, and consciously construct social identities with purposive reasons. This perspective, however, neglects agency, subjectivity and the power dimension in the process of identity building. This paper also questions the ethnocentric nature of social capital thinking which plays down the influences of culture and context. Drawing upon the structuration theory of Anthony Giddens, and based on my ethnographic research on Chinese migrants in Hong Kong, I challenge the ‘Hong Kong-derived Chinese identity model’ by Gregory Guldin. Using the concept of ‘acknowledgeable agents’, I argue that the construction of ethnic identity amongst migrants is far more complicated, and agents may use their hyphenated identities to seek room for manoeuvre. I also highlight the transformative, fluid and fragile nature of identity to suggest that he notion of ‘investing in identity’ is problematic because which and what identities, and where and how to invest, are not properly addressed. Taking agents’ subjectivity into account, disinvestment, rather than investment, in identity may be a more desirable livelihood strategy adopted by migrants. Finally, I draw attention to the dark sides of identity, and point out that without a clear understanding of the existing structures of interaction, investing in identity may result in poverty aggravation and further exclusion of the poor.The writer is currently an assistant lecturer at the University of Bradford, UK.     

School bullying and tackling strategies in Hong Kong

In view of the rising problem of school bullying in Hong Kong, scholars have endeavored to study the prevalence, causes, and tackling strategies of school bullying. This article highlights some typical incidences of school violence and reports research results of school bullying. It is noted unresolved school bullying problems are often a precursor of school violence and delinquency. Based on results from local studies of bullying, this article identifies risk and protective factors that contribute to the emergence and continuation of the bullyvictim problem in Hong Kong. The article argues that suppressive tactics, such as reprimanding bullies, calling parents to school, and suspension, are ineffective. Other than suppressive tactics, adopting a comprehensive antibullying strategy such as assisting students to develop adequate self-competency, strong social skills, and good relationships with parents and teachers seems to be a useful antiviolence strategy.