Roadside detection of impairment under the influence of ketamine--evaluation of ketamine impairment symptoms with reference to its concentration in oral fluid and urine

Although there are many roadside testing devices available for the screening of abused drugs, none of them can be used for the detection of ketamine, a popular abused drug in Hong Kong. In connection to local drug driving legislation, effective roadside detection of ketamine in suspected drug-impaired drivers has to be established. According to the drug evaluation and classification program (DEC), ketamine is classified in the phencyclidine (PCP) category. However, no study has been performed regarding the signs and symptoms exhibited by users under the influence of ketamine. In a study to develop a protocol for effective roadside detection of drug-impaired drivers, 62 volunteers exiting from discos were assessed using field impairment tests (FIT) that included measurements of three vital signs (i.e. body temperature, pulse rate and blood pressure), three eye examinations [pupil size, lack of convergence (LOC) and horizontal gaze nystagmus (HGN)] and four divided attention tests (Romberg, one-leg stand, finger-to-nose and walk-and-turn tests). Subsequent laboratory analysis of oral fluid and urine samples from the participants revealed the presence of common abused drugs in both the urine and oral fluid samples of 55 subjects. The remaining 7 subjects with no drug in their oral fluid samples were used as drug-free subjects. In addition, 10 volunteers from the laboratory who were regarded as drug-free subjects were also assessed using the same FIT. Among the 62 volunteers, 39 of them were detected with ketamine in their oral fluid. Of these ketamine users, 21 of them (54%) with only ketamine found in their oral fluid samples while the rest (18 subjects) of them had other drugs (i.e. MA, MDMA, benzodiazepines and/or THC) in addition to ketamine. Of the 21 ketamine-only users, 15 of them (71%) were successfully identified by FIT. It was found that when salivary ketamine concentrations were greater than 300 ng/mL, signs of impairment became evident, with over 90% detection rate using the FIT. By comparing the FIT observations on the 21 ketamine-only users with the drug-free subjects, the typical signs and symptoms observable for subjects under the influence of ketamine included LOC, HGN, elevated pulse rate and in general, failing the divided attention tests, especially the walk-and-turn and one-leg stand.     

Convincing the World of China’s Tradition to Pursue Universal Harmony

As China??s comprehensive national power grows, its efforts to reduce the ??China threat?? perception have become more challenging. In line with the Chinese leadership??s current theme of peace and harmony in China??s foreign policy line, Chinese scholars have been highlighting the same theme in their research on China??s traditional strategic culture. Their research criticizes Western cosmopolitanism and praises the peaceful nature of China??s traditional ??tianxia?? concept. The exploitation of traditional strategic culture to provide re-assurance to the international community has now been raised to the official level, as reflected by the White Paper on ??China??s Peaceful Development?? released by the State Council??s Information Office on September 6, 2011. This probably means that it will be a major element of China??s public diplomacy for the foreseeable future. These efforts, however, may not have a significant impact because of rising nationalism in the region and the moderate escalation of existing territorial disputes involving China and its neighbors.     

Cognizance and Consultation of Randomized Controlled Trials among Ministerial Policy Analysts

Consultation of scientific evidence by policy actors has been the foci of attention of knowledge utilization scholars for decades. The present study questioned the extent to which randomized controlled trials (RCTs)—generally seen as the gold standard of scientific research—are known and consulted by policy analysts in ministerial settings. Using cross‐sectional data collected in 17 ministries in Québec (Canada), our study showed that fairly high levels of policy analysts report never having heard of RCTs, thus possibly hindering effective communication of scientific results to relevant policy makers. Statistical analyses reveal the importance of cognitive factors in explaining both phenomena.     

以服务型政府建设推动社会管理创新

从全球范围内经济、政治形势的变化和持续的行政改革中可以看到,西方发达国家正处在一个从工业社会向后工业社会转变的历史过程中,世界各国都在积极探索如何建立一个能够适应后工业化要求的治理体系的问题。在中国社会双重转型的历史背景下,社会管理创新的提出是对政府管理模式和社会治理关系进行反思的一个结果,是服务型政府建设在新阶段的一个重要内容。正视理论和现实中存在的问题,以服务型政府建设为契机,构建新型的、合作型信任关系达致合作治理,使政府控制和管理社会的观念让位于调控、引导、服务和整合社会的观念,在创新社会管理中具有重要意义。     

论耕地质量与产能建设

多年来,中国通过实施最严格的耕地保护制度,耕地数量快速下降的趋势得到有效遏制,在耕地面积基本稳定的前提下,着力提高耕地质量、提升耕地产能是保障国家粮食安全的根本途径。该文论述了耕地质量的内涵与提升耕地产能的主要措施。     

海峡西岸经济区视角下的福建中心城市发展战略——基于海西区与我国三大经济区的比较研究

由于长期被看作是海防前线,福建各项建设曾十分落后,福建在我国沿海经济带上属于“凹陷区。经济低洼地带”。2009年海峡西岸经济区正式上升为国家战略,海西区进入快速发展时期。本文从关于城市空间结构的三种古典模型入手分析了我国三大经济区的状况,并与海西区作了比较研究,在此基础上提出福建以及海西区的城市发展战略。