Opening Remarks at the 3^rd Conference of the UN-NGO-IRENE/Asia-Pacific on ＂Sustainable Development and Green Olympics＂

Dear Representatives of the Civil Society,
Dear Co-ordinators of the UN-NGO-IRENE,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am grateful for this opportunity to address to the third conference of UN-NGO-IRENE/ ASIA- PACIFIC in Beijing, and I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to contribute to your work, and extend my greetings to all participants.     

Is There a Relationship Between Bladder Outlet Obstruction due to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and Pulmonary Thromboembolism?

Benign prostatic hyperplasia with chronic bladder outlet obstruction has been associated with deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and fatal pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE). To evaluate this further, 60 autopsy cases of men with PTE were compared with 60 age-matched controls. The criteria for outlet obstruction were macroscopic prostatic enlargement with bladder trabeculation and benign prostatic hyperplasia on microscopy. Ten of the 60 men (16.7%) with fatal PTE had evidence of bladder outlet obstruction (age 57-78 years; mean 71.4 years). Of the 60 controls, 12 had evidence of bladder outlet obstruction (20%) (age 67-86 years; mean 75.5 years). No significant relationship could be demonstrated between bladder outlet obstruction and fatal PTE cases (p = 0.8). Given reports of this association, however, it is possible that bladder distension with venous compression may act as a risk modifier in certain individuals in association with other significant comorbidities, but this risk appears low.     

Similarities or Differences in Identity Development? The Impact of Acculturation and Gender on Identity Process and Outcome

This study examined the effects of variations in acculturation and gender on identity processes and outcomes. Three hundred fifty-seven students at a culturally diverse university completed measures of identity processes (exploration, commitment, and identity style) and outcomes (identity status). The generalizability of the underlying identity processes across contextual variations was ascertained by evaluating the consistency of factor solutions across immigrant generation and gender. Results suggested that the processes underlying identity development are consistent across variations in acculturation and gender. Supplemental analyses revealed effects of acculturation and gender on the extent to which individuals utilized various identity processes and manifested various identity outcomes.     

Community Development Block Grant Spending Revisited: Patterns of Benefit and Program Institutionalization

This article analyzes Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)spending by local governments between 1988–1992. We addressfour issues examining actual expenditure patterns in a smallcentral city and five satellite cities in Michigan: changesin CDBG expenditure patterns; levels of social targeting; theextent of institutionalization of expenditure patterns; andthe level of privatization of CDBG spending. We conclude thatwhile spending for housing and public works is related to thefiscal health of cities, expenditures for economic developmentand social services are related to political characteristics.Further, local governments exceed federal social targeting guidelines.Finally, while there is little privatization, the communitiesstudied evidence modest levels of program innovation in thelater years of the CDBG program.     

Profiles of Language Brokering Experiences and Contextual Stressors: Implications for Adolescent Outcomes in Mexican Immigrant Families

Adolescents from Mexican immigrant families are often embedded in a challenging social environment and experience multiple contextual stressors, including economic stress, discrimination, and foreigner stress. We consider how the effects of these contextual stressors may be amplified or diminished for adolescents who function as language brokers, interpreting and mediating for their English-limited parents. Using two waves of survey data collected from a sample (N?=?604 at Wave 1; N?=?483 at Wave 2) of Mexican American adolescents with ages ranging from 11 to 15 (M_age?=?12.41, 54% female), four distinct brokering—stress profiles were identified. Latent profile analyses revealed that with moderate levels of contextual stress, adolescents with more positive language brokering experiences (protective group) demonstrated more favorable outcomes than those with neutral language brokering experiences (moderate group) and those who did not involve themselves as frequently in language brokering activities (less-involved group). In contrast, high levels of contextual stress, coupled with more negative language brokering experiences (risk group), produced the least favorable outcomes among adolescents.