• Title/Summary/Keyword: Attention Problems

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Lead Pollution and Lead Poisoning among Children in China

  • Zheng, Yuxin
    • Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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    • 2003.06a
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    • pp.24-25
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    • 2003
  • Lead is ubiquitous in the human environment as a result of industrialization. China's rapid industrialization and traffic growth have increased the potential for lead emissions. Lead poisoning in children is one of the most common public health problems today, and it is entirely preventable. Children are more vulnerable to lead pollution and lead in their bodies can affect their nervous, circulatory, and digestive systems. Children are exposed to lead from different sources (such as paint, gasoline, and solder) and through different pathways (such as air, food, water, dust, and soil). Although all children are exposed to some lead from food, air, dust, and soil, some children are exposed to high dose sources of lead. Significant sources of lead for China's children include industrial emissions (often close to housing and schools), leaded gasoline, and occupational exposure that occurs when parents wear lead-contaminated clothing home from work, burning of coal for home heat and cooking, contaminated food, and some traditional medicines. To assess the blood lead level in children in China, a large-scale study was conducted in 19 cities among 9 provinces during 1997 to 2000. There were 6502 children, aged 3-5 years, were recruited in the study The result indicates that the mean blood lead level was 8.83ug/dl 3-5 year old living in city area. The mean blood lead level of boys was higher than that of girls (9.1l ug/dl vs 8.73ug/dl). Almost 30 percent childrens blood lead level exceeded 10ug/dl. The average blood lead level was higher than that of in 1985 (8.83ug/dl vs 8.lug/dl). An epidemiological study was carried on the children living around the cottage industries recycling the lead from battery. Nine hundreds fifty nine children, aged 5-12 years, living in lead polluted villages where the lead smelters located near the residential area and 207 control children live in unpolluted area were recruited in the study. The lead levels in air, soil, drinking water and crops were measured. The blood lead and ZnPP level were tested for all subjects. The results show that the local environment was polluted. The lead levels both in the air and crops were much higher than that of in control area. In the polluted area, the average blood level was 49.6ug/dl (rang 19.5-89.3ug/dl). Whereas, in the unpolluted area, the average blood level was 12.4ug/dl (rang 4.6-24.8ug/dl). This study indicates that in some countryside area, some cottage industries induce seriously lead pollution and cause children health problem. For the introducing of unleaded gasoline in some large cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai, the blood lead level showed a declined trend since 1997. By 2000, the use of leaded gasoline in motor vehicles has been prohibited in China. The most recent data available show that levels of lead in blood among children in Shanghai decreased from 8.3ug/dl in 1997 to 7.6ug/dl in 1999. The prevalence rate of children lead poisoning (blood lead >10ug/dl) was also decreased from 37.8% to 24.8%. In children living in downtown area, the blood lead level reduced dramatically. To explore the relationship between gene polymorphisms and individual susceptibility of lead poisoning, a molecular epidemiological study was conducted among children living in lead polluted environment. The result showed that the subjects with ALAD2 allele has higher ZPP level, and the subjects with VDR B allele has larger head circumference than only with b allele. In the present study, we demonstrated that ALAD genotypes modify lead effects on heme metabolism and VDR gene variants influence the skull development in highly exposed children. The polymorphism of ALAD and VDR genes might be the molecular inherited factor modifying the susceptibility of lead poisoning. Recently, Chinese government pays more attention to lead pollution and lead poisoning in children problem. The leaded gasoline was prohibited used in motor vehicles since 2000. The government has decided to have a clampdown on the high-polluted lead smelters for recycling the lead from battery in countryside. It is hopeful that the risk of lead poisoning in children will be decreased in the further

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Some Issues on China General Aviation Legislation (中國通用航空立法若干問題研究)

  • Shuang, Luan
    • The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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    • v.31 no.2
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    • pp.99-143
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    • 2016
  • General aviation and air transport are two wings of the civil aviation industry. Chinese air transport is developing rapidly, and has become the world second air transport system only second to US since 2005. However, Chinese civil aviation is far behind the world average level, and cannot meet requirements of economic construction and social development. The transition and structural adjustment of Chinese economy provide the general aviation with a unprecedented broad market. The prospect of general aviation is promising and anticipated. The development of general aviation industry needs the legislative supports, and the current legislative conditions of Chinese general aviation are undoubtedly far behind the realistic requirements. Accelerating the legislation in Chinese general aviation industry requires scientific legislation concept. First, Legislation must promote development of general aviation industry. The general aviation will serves as a Chinese emerging industry that boosts domestic demand, promotes employment and expedite domestic economic development. We should, based on both the concept of promoting the industrial development of general aviation and national industrial planning, enact and rectify relative laws and regulations. And we should also straighten out the relationship between aviation security and industrial development and promote the revolution of low-altitude airspace management in an all-round way, in order to improve the utilization rate of airspace resources, classify and establish airspace, simplify examination and approval procedure and intensify operation management. In addition, what we should do is to expedite the infrastructure layout construction, guide the differentiated but coordinated development of general aviation industries in various areas, establish a united supervision mechanism of general aviation, redistrict the responsibilities of Chinese Air Control Agency and set up legislation, law enforcement and judicial systems with clarified institutions, clear positioning and classified responsibilities, so as to usher in a new era of the legislative management of Chinese general aviation industry. Second, shift the focus from regulations to both regulations and services. Considering the particularity of the general aviation, we should use American practices for reference and take into account both regulation and service functions when enacting general aviation laws. For example, we should reduce administrative licensing and market supervision, and adopt "criteria" and "approval" management systems for non-commercial and commercial aviation. Furthermore, pay attention to social benefits. Complete social rescuing mechanism through legislation. It should be clarified in legislation that general aviation operators should take the responsibilities of, and ensure to realize social benefits of environmental protection and ecological balance .Finally, rise in line with international standards. Modify Chinese regulations which is inconsistent with international ones to remove barriers to international cooperation. Specify basic legislative principles. One is the principle of coordination. Realize coordination between the civil aviation and general aviation, between military aviation and civil aviation, and among departments. Two is the principle of pertinence. The general aviation has its own rules and specialties, needing to be standardized using specialized laws and regulations. Three is the principle of efficiency. To realize time and space values of general aviation, we should complete rules in aerospace openness, general aviation airport construction, general aviation operations, and regulation enforcement. Four is the principle of security. Balance the maximum use of resources of Chinese airspace and the according potential threats to Chinese national interests and social security, and establish a complete insurance system which functions as security defense and indemnificatory measure. Establish a unified legal system. Currently, the system of Chinese general aviation laws consists of national legislation, administrative laws and regulations and civil aviation regulations (CAR). Some problems exist in three components of the system, including too general content, unclear guarantee measures, incomplete implementation details, and lacking corresponding pertinence and flexibility required by general aviation regulations, stringency of operation management and standards, and uniformity of standards. A law and regulation system, centered on laws and consisting of administrative laws regulations, industrial regulations, implementation details, industrial policies and local laws and regulations, should be established. It is suggested to modify the Civil Aviation Law to make general aviation laws complete, enact the Regulations of General Aviation Development, and accelerate the establishment, modification and abolition of Chinese general aviation laws to intensify the coordination and uniformity of regulations.

Counseling Case Study of a Child with Peer Confliction due to Lack of Social Skills and Impulsiveness (사회적 기술 부족과 충동성으로 인해 또래갈등이 심한 분교아동의 상담사례)

  • Lee, In-Sun
    • The Korean Journal of Elementary Counseling
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    • v.5 no.1
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    • pp.227-253
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    • 2006
  • It seems common for students living at a small county and islands to experience psychological conflicts and be unaccustomed in the peer society because they are not familiar with peer interaction and social skills. This is a case study of L (hereinafter called L) who was grown up in the sheltered school at a small county. L was psychologically disturbed because he couldn't get along well in the transferred school. It is the reason why he had lived in the sheltered school at a small county, so he had not enough exposure to interact with peer and social skills. Sometimes he was obstinate irrationally and when he had trouble with friends, he threw something out or went out of school and tricked juniors dangerously. The fact of disperse with families, parent's indifference, and hate of older brother made L to have ill feeling against family. He had low motivation and low self confident in learning because of short attention time and accumulated poor learning progress. In this study, he was evaluated at various area, such as, intelligent, affective, personal and inter-personal, before counselling. To evaluated the effect of the counselling, K-WISC-III, KPRC, sentence filling test, social adaptation ability test, etc, were administered right after the counselling was over and 8 weeks later. For specific information gathering and analysing, observation diary and deepen counselling were accomplished by homeroom teacher, his mother, and his peers. To correct his problematic behaviors, 13 counseling sessions were accomplished for 6 months and those counselling sessions were recorded and analysed definitely. Followings are the result of this case study. First, he was recovered from the anxiety of inter-personal interaction and he started to interact with peers. The result of sac scale score of KPRC profile was lower than before as much as average student after counseling and 8 weeks later. This reveals that the distress against interpersonal relation have settled. Especially, through the result of sentence filing test, he seemed to feel attachment to peers and be positive, active in the relation of peer. For instance, he was active in the open class lesson and interacted well with peers. It could be said that he overcame the psychological distress comparing with previous time. Second, he could apologize to his peer and juniors for his fault. His attitude were well shown in the letter from an old friend at the sheltered school, average KPRC profiling score comparing with previous counseling time, and remarkable decrease of attack scale score of teacher and peer. Third, his view toward family turn out positive. He recognized his situation that he lived apart from family and even worried about his parent's financial difficulty. Through solving the confliction with his older brother, he could acquire the feeling of family reunion. Fourth, his learning motivation and self-confidence were increased. He confirmed his future positively and he might be judged more attentive because his intelligence index was higher than before as much as average student. With the main goal of this study, verification for effectiveness of counseling. understanding and helping problematic students such as L who lives at a small county and island through investigation of their real situation and problems with the method of counseling and socio-cultural analysis is worthwhile. Identification of ideal relationship with peer is related with positive self-conception, harmonic social adaptation and development of child. It is time to investigate easy adaptive in classroom and well-organised program to acquire general social skills for sheltered school students at a small county and islands.

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A survey on the habit of dieting and food constrained by superstition (식습관(食習慣)과 금기식(禁忌食)에 관(關)한 조사(調査))

  • Lee, Geum-Yeong;Suh, Myung-Sook
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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    • v.2 no.1
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    • pp.73-80
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    • 1973
  • 1. Generally speaking, our people have been carrying out the government policy of using grains other than rice comparatively well. But it is desirable that the government heirs the whole nation as well as the farmers to understand better the scientific meaning of using foods made from the flour of various grains. This will greatly improve the nation's eating habits, for it will make people discard the habit of eating only boiled-rice, which will not only improve our national health but will also increase the national income. 2. For the purpose of improving health and developing intellectual faculties of our mind, we had better, if possible, get much protein from plants(especially beans) which we can obtain more readily than from animals. However if we must use animal protein, we should dependonly on livestock. Pregnant women and new-born children must not be in ill health because of malnutrition caused by following groundless superstitions about foods: for example, some religions forbid the use very healthful foods or some traditional conventions do the blend of certain foods together with other victuals. 3. It is good that we conquer the difficulty of living in the season of spring poverty by having other substitute for regular victuals. But it requires us to pay a careful attention to the food and to do research on many foods problems such as food pollution. Farmers should cooperate with each other and help those who have very little arable land, or even those who have no place for cultivating, to grow miscellaneous cereals on the land which other farmers don't use that year. 4. On the whole, farmers have a good appetite for any, food, whatever it is. Neverthless, because they aren't econmically well-off, they generally eat hot meals only for breakfast and supper in the busy faming season. They eat a tepid lunch which, they think saves time and cooking fuel. In conclution, I feel sorry that many village farmers still steeped in conventional thought and superstition are inclined to have an unbalanced diet of boiled-rice and that they continue not to use the floor from other grains all the year round. when these unscientific dieting customs mentioned above are discarded, we will be able to enjoy good health, better knowledge or intellegence, and higher income. Then we will ba able to make our present lives more self-reliant and self-supporting.

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A Theory Construction on the Care Experience for Spouses of Patients with Chronic Illness (만성질환자 배우자의 돌봄 경험에 대한 이론 구축)

  • Choi, Kyung-Sook;Eun, Young
    • Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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    • v.30 no.1
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    • pp.122-136
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    • 2000
  • Chronic illness requiring attention and management during a long period of time puts great burden onto patients, their family and society. For patients with chronic illnesses, providing social support is the most important, and the fundamental support comes from their spouses. Amount and quality of support from spouses seems to differentiated according to the sex of patients. Female patients tend to believe that their spouses are not very supportive. Therefore, the researchers assessed the burden of husbands of female arthritis patients to discover the factors that result in greater burden. Also, they developed a theoretical model of husbands′ care for their wives through a qualitative research into husbands′ experience. Method 1: The study material was 650 female arthritis patients registered in an arthritis clinic. The questionnaire about the disease experience of female arthritis patients and the burden of husbands were sent. Returned questionnaires numbered 210(32.3%) and 27 were excluded because of inadequate answers. The remaining 183 questionnaires were analyzed. The mean age of the patients was 51 years and the mean age of spouses was 55 years. The mean marital period was 28 years. The average duration since diagnosis was 9.1 years. Education level was varied from primary school to graduate school, and average income/month was 1,517,300 won. Method 2: Initial questionnaire studies on the burden of husbands were performed. Among 183 responding husbands, 23 consented to participate for a qualitative research. Data was obtained by direct and telephone interviews. The mean age of participants was 58 years, and the educational level and socioeconomic status also varied. Result: 1. Husbands′ burden: The average burden was 57.68 with a range of 6-96. 2. Burden and general characteristics: The husband′s burden correlated with the age of the patients, numbers in the family, therapy methods, patient′s level of discomfort, patient′s disease severity, patient′s level of dependence and the husband′s understanding of the level of severity. 3. Linear correlation analysis on burden: The husbands′ burden is explained in 22.5% by husband′s recognition of level of severity and husbands′ age. 4. There were four patterns of the burden on husbands: both objectve burden and subjective burden were high(pattern I), both of objectve burden and subjective burden were low(pattern II), objective burden was high but subjective burden was low(pattern III), objective burden was low but subjective burden was high(pattern IV). The pattern was correlated with the family income, educational level of the patients and their husbands, therapy methods, patient′s level of discomfort, patient′s disease severity, patient′s level of dependence and husband′s understanding of level of severity. 5. The core category of the caring experience of the husbands with arthritis patients was "companionship". The causal factor was the patients′ experience due to symptoms : physical disfigurement, pain, immobility, limitation of house chores, and limitation of social activities. Contextural factors are husbands′ identification of housework and husbands′ concern about the disease. The mediating factors are economic problems, fear of aging, feeling of limitation and family support. The strategy for interaction is mind control and how to solve emotional stress. The "companionship" resulted from caring activities, participation of household activities, helping patients′ to coping with emotional experience. 6. Companionship is established through the process of entering intervention, and caring state of mind. Entering intervention is the phase of participation of therapy and involvement of houseworks. The caring phase consists of decision on therapy, providing therapy, providing direct care, and taking over the household role of wife. Through caring phase, the changing phase set a stage in which husbands consolidate the relationship with their wives, and are reminded of the meaning of marriage. As a result, in changing phase, husbands′ companionship is enhanced. In conclusion, nursing care of chronic illnesses should include a family member especially the spouse. All information on disease shoud be provided to patients and whole family member. Strong support should also be provided to overcome difficulties in taking over role of other sex. Then the quality of life of patients and families will be much improved.

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The Effects of Science Question Enhancement Instruction on the Science Question Level and Achievement of Middle School Students (질문 강화 수업이 중학생들의 질문 수준과 학업 성취도에 미치는 영향)

  • Chung, Young-Lan;Bae, Jae-Hee
    • Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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    • v.22 no.4
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    • pp.872-881
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    • 2002
  • Student questioning is included in the priority of science literacy, to enable students to solve problems by exploring questions, communicating and constructing knowledge(AAAS, 1989). Also, the essence of student questioning in science lies in its function as a link between thinking and learning. But educators did not pay much attention to students' questioning in Korea. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of science question enhancement instruction on students' science questioning level and achievement. Also, this study showed the effects of other variables(logical thinking, science achievement, interest, and gender) on students' science questioning level. The pretest-posttest control group design group design was used. The sample was consisted of 80 second grade middle school students in experimental group(Science question enhancement instruction) and 74 students in control group(Traditional learning). Students in both groups were received identical content instruction on the unit 'Structures and functions of plant'. These groups were treated for 15 hours during 6 weeks. Students' questions were rated using the four levels described by the Middle School Students' Science Question Rating Scale(r= .96,)(Cuccio-Schirripa & Steinner, 2000). Science achievement data were collected using a 17 item multiple choice test(Cronbach ${\alpha}$= .84). To investigate students' logical thinking ability, a abridged GALT(Cronbach ${\alpha}$= .69) was used. Five-way ANOVA, ANCOVA, and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the results. The results indicated that students who received instruction on researchable questioning outperformed those students who were not instructed on high-order questioning(p< .01). Results of correlations indicated that instruction(r= .640), science achievement(r= .311) and logical thinking ability(r= .212) was significantly and positively related with students' questioning level. But, interest and gender did not show any significant correlation with students' questioning level. Science question enhancement instruction was more effective on science achievement than the traditional instruction(p< .01).

A Study on the Interpretation of Cultural Heritage Sites for Public Education (대중교육을 위한 문화유적의 해석(Interpretation)에 관한 기본연구)

  • Han, Sang-U
    • KOMUNHWA
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    • no.68
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    • pp.41-57
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    • 2006
  • The purpose of this study is to review educational value of cultural heritage sites first and then, to examine the importance of interpretation and interpretation methods and process briefly to utilize cultural heritage sites as important resources for public education and cultural tourism. The educational value of cultural heritage sites is not limited to provide visitors with various information on historical facts and events related to the cultural heritage site, but to provide the public with a new recognition of the importance of the preservation of cultural heritage sites by understanding the site well. In order to utilize the educational value of the cultural heritage site, interpretation must be emphasized as an important element of cultural heritage sites management and much attention should be given on the development and practice of interpretation programs in each cultural heritage site. In order to develop an interpretation program of the site, a specific target audience must be defined first to find most resonable scope and direction of an interpretation program and then, site specific interpretation themes (or a theme) should be developed from the interpretive topic. According to these defined elements, an interpretation program(s) is established by using various interpretation methods and techniques in order to provide visitors with useful information and knowledge on the site efficiently. Interpretation methods and techniques are various as defined by various ways and most effective methods or techniques are employed as a specific interpretation program is presented most effectively. The evaluation processes in planing stage, during developing stage, and after completion of interpretation program development are important processes to find out any problems of planed interpretation program and to revise or update the interpretation program. Conclusively, the direction of cultural heritage sites management in Korea has focused on the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage sites to preserve the original conditions of cultural heritage sites so far. This direction on current practice on cultural heritage sites management should he changed to more active utilization of the sites and interpretation of the sites is a way to accomplish the this goal.

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KOREAN CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY - A REVIEW OF THE PAST, THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE - (한국 소아 ${\cdot}$ 청소년정신의학 - 과거 ${\cdot}$ 현재 ${\cdot}$ 미래 -)

  • Hong, Kang-E
    • Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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    • v.14 no.2
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    • pp.139-149
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    • 2003
  • Objectives:To review the history of the development and current status of Korean Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and to propose the future tasks at this 20th anniversary of Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Methods:Records and publications of Korean Academy, personal communications with senior members of the Academy, the author's recollections and memoirs. Results:Korean Child Psychiatry started with opening Child Psychiatry Clinic at Seoul National University Hospital in 1979 and establishing Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the same hospital in 1980. A Child Psychiatry Study Group was formed in 1983 and it transformed into Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in 1986. In the past 20 years, Korean child and adolescent psychiatry made an impressive progress and contributed significantly to the development of Korean medicine as well as to the establishment of child mental health service. There are 77 board-certified and 48 board-eligible child psychiatrists, and 18 child psychiatry fellows are in training as of 2003. Main forces of this successful introduction of child psychiatry are 1) 7 child psychiatry training centers at major university hospitals, 2) publication of Korean Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in 1990, 3) the establishment child psychiatry board certification system in 1996. Korean child psychiatry has extended its role in the international child psychiatry and took leadership in establishing Asian Society of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions(ASCAPAP). Conclusion:Korean child psychiatry has achieved a remarkable progress for the past 20 years and is currently producing 15 or more child psychiatry each year. However, there are needs of more active involvements in adolescent problems, more active consultation-liaison services at general hospitals as well as community mental health institutions. More school consultation and preventive educational services are desired. There is a urgent need of carrying out more empirical studies with strong scientific rigor. Korean Academy should pay attention and provide assistance to the development of child psychiatry service in other countries in Asia.

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Clinical Manifestation and Treatment Outcome of Lupus Nephritis in Children (소아 루프스 신염의 임상양상 및 치료결과)

  • Park Jee-Min;Shin Jae-Il;Kim Pyung-Kil;Lee Jae-Seung
    • Childhood Kidney Diseases
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    • v.6 no.2
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    • pp.155-168
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    • 2002
  • Purpose; Systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) is an autoimmune disease with multi-system involvement and renal damage is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children. Renal involvement is more common and severe in children than in adults. Therefore, renal biopsy plays a crucial role in planning effective therapy. In this study, we investigated the clinical and pathological findings of lupus nephritis in children to aid clinical care of the disease. Methods: The clinical and pathological data of 40 patients who were diagnosed as SLE with renal involvement in Shinchon Severance Hospital from Jan. 1990 to Sep. 2002 were analyzed retrospectively. Results: The ratio of male to female patients was 1:3 and the median age at diagnosis was 12.1(2-18) years old. FANA(95.0%), anti-ds DNA antibody(87.5%), malar rash(80.0%) were the most common findings among the classification criteria by ARA. Microscopic hematuria with proteinuria(75.0%), nephrotic syndrome(55.0%), and microscopic hematuria alone(15.0%) were the most common renal presentations in the respective order at diagnosis. There were 27 cases with WHO class IV lupus nephritis confirmed by renal biopsy and 3 cases with pathological changes of WHO class type. Different treatment modalities were carried out : prednisolone only in 5 cases, prednisol-one+azat-hioprine in 9 cases, prednisolone+azathioprine+intravenous cyclophosphamide in 14 cases, prednisolone+cyclosporine A+intravenous cyclophosphamide in 12 cases, plasma exchange in 9 cases and intravenous gamma-globulin in 2 cases. The average follow-up period was $51.8{\pm}40.5$ months. During $51.8{\pm}40.5$ months. During follow-up, 4 patients expired. The risk factors associated with mortality were male, WHO class IV and acute renal failure at diagnosis. Conclusion: Renal involvement was noted in 63.5% of childhood SLE, and 67.5% of renal lesion was WHO class IV lupus nephritis which is known to be associated with a poor prognosis. Therefore aggressive treatment employing immunosuppressant during the early stages of disease could be helpful in improving long-term prognosis. But careful attention should be given to optimize the treatment due to unique problems associated with growth, psychosocial development and gonadal toxicity, especially in children.

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Interpretation of the Umbrella Clause in Investment Treaties (국제투자조약상 포괄적 보호조항(Umbrella Clauses)의 해석에 관한 연구)

  • Jo, Hee-Moon
    • Journal of Arbitration Studies
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    • v.19 no.2
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    • pp.95-126
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    • 2009
  • One of the controversial issues in investor-state investment arbitration is the interpretation of "umbrella clause" that is found in most BIT and FTAs. This treaty clause requires on Contracting State of treaty to observe all investment obligations entered into with foreign investors from the other Contracting State. This clause did not receive in-depth attention until SGS v. Pakistan and SGS v. Philippines cases produced starkly different conclusions on the relations about treaty-based jurisdiction and contract-based jurisdiction. More recent decisions by other arbitral tribunals continue to show different approaches in their interpretation of umbrella clauses. Following the SGS v. Philippines decision, some recent decisions understand that all contracts are covered by umbrella clause, for example, in Siemens A.G. v. Argentina, LG&E Energy Corp. v. Argentina, Sempra Energy Int'l v. Argentina and Enron Corp. V. Argentina. However, other recent decisions have found a different approach that only certain kinds of public contracts are covered by umbrella clauses, for example, in El Paso Energy Int'l Co. v. Argentina, Pan American Energy LLC v. Argentina and CMS Gas Transmission Co. v. Argentina. With relation to the exhaustion of domestic remedies, most of tribunals have the position that the contractual remedy should not affect the jurisdiction of BIT tribunal. Even some tribunals considered that there is no need to exhaust contract remedies before bringing BIT arbitration, provoking suspicion of the validity of sanctity of contract in front of treaty obligation. The decision of the Annulment Committee In CMS case in 2007 was an extraordinarily surprising one and poured oil on the debate. The Committee composed of the three respected international lawyers, Gilbert Guillaume and Nabil Elaraby, both from the ICJ, and professor James Crawford, the Rapportuer of the International Law Commission on the Draft Articles on the Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts, observed that the arbitral tribunal made critical errors of law, however, noting that it has limited power to review and overturn the award. The position of the Committee was a direct attack on ICSID system showing as an internal recognition of ICSID itself that the current system of investor-state arbitration is problematic. States are coming to limit the scope of umbrella clauses. For example, the 2004 U.S. Model BIT detailed definition of the type of contracts for which breach of contract claims may be submitted to arbitration, to increase certainty and predictability. Latin American countries, in particular, Argentina, are feeling collectively victims of these pro-investor interpretations of the ICSID tribunals. In fact, BIT between developed and developing countries are negotiated to protect foreign investment from developing countries. This general characteristic of BIT reflects naturally on the provisions making them extremely protective for foreign investors. Naturally, developing countries seek to interpret restrictively BIT provisions, whereas developed countries try to interpret more expansively. As most of cases arising out of alleged violation of BIT are administered in the ICSID, a forum under the auspices of the World Bank, these Latin American countries have been raising the legitimacy deficit of the ICSID. The Argentine cases have been provoking many legal issues of international law, predicting crisis almost coming in actual investor-state arbitration system. Some Latin American countries, such as Bolivia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina, already showed their dissatisfaction with the ICSID system considering withdrawing from it to minimize the eventual investor-state dispute. Thus the disagreement over umbrella clauses in their interpretation is becoming interpreted as an historical reflection on the continued tension between developing and developed countries on foreign investment. There is an academic and political discussion on the possible return of the Calvo Doctrine in Latin America. The paper will comment on these problems related to the interpretation of umbrella clause. The paper analyses ICSID cases involving principally Latin American countries to identify the critical legal issues arising between developing and developed countries. And the paper discusses alternatives in improving actual investor-State investment arbitration; inter alia, the introduction of an appellate system and treaty interpretation rules.

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