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The concept of ontological security has proved a valuable addition to International Relations (IR). At the same time, its discipline-specific incorporation has had consequences. Specifically, the widespread opposition of ontological security to physical security sometimes makes the ontological security-seeking self appear as disembodied. While a second wave of ontological security studies (OSS) has challenged such assumptions and paid greater attention to the ways in which ontological and physical security intersect, it has yet to address in detail the most immediate physical aspect of the self: its material body. Doing so allows us to extend the analytical reach of OSS and to move beyond a concern with particularised role-identities. Thus, this article draws on the foundational ontological security literature, as developed by Anthony Giddens and especially R. D. Laing, to highlight the importance of embodiment for ontological security. It argues that there is a genuine two-way relationship between physical and psychological security and that ontological security is consequently best understood as ‘security of the self-in-the-body’. Upon theorising what it means for states to have bodies, a brief analysis of the psychological impact of the so-called ‘North Korean abduction issue’ in Japan serves to illustrate this point.

The central model of Japan's North Korea policy has been maintained consistently despite repeated changes in the government from the Liberal Democratic Party to the Democratic Party and back again.Purpose: This paper summarizes Japan's policy concerning North Korea after the Cold War, examines the structure of this policy, and, based on this structure, analyzes Japan's current policy regarding North Korea. The analysis then turns to the future.Main Argument: Normalizing relations between Japan and North Korea may be the primary goal of Japan's policy, but the following four motives can also be identified. First, for Japan, the normalization of relations with North Korea is significant as a remaining postwar process. The second motive involves responses to security issues. Third, there is the issue of the safety of Japanese lives. Fourth, Japan's economic opportunities in North Korea must be considered. Japan has sought ties with North Korea with these four motives, which will remain unchanged in the future. However, Japan does not aim to normalize relations with North Korea without restrictions, and Japan's policy concerning North Korea is bound by the following three factors. The first factor is the international environment. Second, Japan-North Korea relations are constrained by the attitude of South Korea. Third, Japan's domestic politics also determine Japan's North Korea policy.Conclusion: While the four motives will remain the same for Japan, these three factors determine Japan's attitude toward North Korea, all three of which are pushing for Japan to negotiate with North Korea. He central model of Japan's North Korea policy has been maintained consistently despite repeated changes in the government from the Liberal Democratic Party to the Democratic Party and back again. This paper summarizes Japan's policy concerning North Korea after the Cold War, examines the structure of this policy, and, based on this structure, analyzes Japan's current policy regarding North Korea. The analysis then turns to the future. Normalizing relations between Japan and North Korea may be the primary goal of Japan's policy, but the following four motives can also be identified. First, for Japan, the normalization of relations with North Korea is significant as a remaining postwar process. The second motive involves responses to security issues. Third, there is the issue of the safety of Japanese lives. Fourth, Japan's economic opportunities in North Korea must be considered. Japan has sought ties with North Korea with these four motives, which will remain unchanged in the future. However, Japan does not aim to normalize relations with North Korea without restrictions, and Japan's policy concerning North Korea is bound by the following three factors. The first factor is the international environment. Second, Japan-North Korea relations are constrained by the attitude of South Korea. Third, Japan's domestic politics also determine Japan's North Korea policy. While the four motives will remain the same for Japan, these three factors determine Japan's attitude toward North Korea, all three of which are pushing for Japan to negotiate with North Korea.

The mechanism of design reasoning from function to form is suggested to consist of a two-step inference of the innovative abduction type. First is an inference from a desired functional aspect to an idea, concept, or solution principle to satisfy the function. This is followed by a second innovative abduction, from the latest concept to form, structure, or mechanism. The intermediate entity in the logical reasoning, the concept, is thus made explicit, which is significant in following and understanding a specific design process, for educating designers, and to build a logic-based computational model of design. The idea of a two-step abductive reasoning process is developed from the critical examination of several propositions made by others. We use the notion of innovative abduction in design, as opposed to such abduction where the question is about selecting among known alternatives, and we adopt a previously proposed two-step process of abductive reasoning. However, our model is different in that the two abductions used follow the syllogistic pattern of innovative abduction. In addition to using a schematic example from the literature to demonstrate our derivation, we apply the model to an existing, empirically derived method of conceptual design called “parameter analysis” and use two examples of real design processes. The two synthetic steps of the method are shown to follow the proposed double innovative abduction scheme, and the design processes are presented as sequences of double abductions from function to concept and from concept to form, with a subsequent deductive evaluation step.

Recently, there has been a greater focus on promoting amicable solutions in cross-border family disputes. Alternative dispute resolution methods such as mediation and conciliation have been used in Brazil to avoid lengthy legal proceedings and to resolve cases where concerns about the child’s situation after their return arise. Parties involved in child abduction disputes can feel motivated to reach an agreement when they can decide on child support, custody, and visitation rights before the child’s return. However, enforcing these agreements can be challenging. This article examines Brazil’s experience with international legal cooperation requests under the Convention of 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (Child Abduction Convention), where the parties faced these issues whilst trying to resolve their conflicts under one or more of the Hague Conventions. The article uses a pragmatic and empirical approach to address difficulties in recognising and enforcing agreements and available alternatives. It concludes with a suggestion for more cooperation between central authorities and with the idea that although adhering to the Convention on Jurisdiction, Applicable Law, Recognition, Enforcement and Cooperation in respect of Parental Responsibility and Measures for the Protection of Children could improve the scenario in Brazil, a new international instrument would significantly enhance the resolution of cross-border disputes, especially for non-European states.

Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to examine the South Korean government's policy approach in addressing the North Korean abductions of South Koreans and uncover the actual hindrance behind the prolonged stalemate beyond merely North Korea's obstinate denial and negative attitude toward the abduction issue. Design, Methodology, Approach-The research study scrutinized the South Korean government's policy approach from the Kim Dae-jung administration (1998-2002) to the most recent Moon Jae-in administration (2017-2021) through policy discourses, white papers on Korean unification, Korean news articles addressing the government's position, government officials' interviews, and the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee state's audit meeting minutes of the Ministry of Unification. Then it adopted the following three foreign policy analysis models: the rational actor model, the organizational process model, and the bureaucratic politics model that well demonstrate not only the process of the South Korean government's policy decision making and implementation, but also the fundamental rationale behind the government's policy continuity despite unsatisfactory results. Findings-While North Korea itself is a considerable factor behind the prolonged stalemate, another major impediment is the South Korean government's own integration of the abduction issue in the \"separated families\" issue. The government's main resolution approach has revolved around the rationality of verifying the abductees' living status within the humanitarian context of separated families and if fortunate, reuniting the abductees and their families through reunions designed for those families divided during the Korean War. In fact, such an approach has become a standardized protocol despite the serious drawbacks. Demands for change or an alternative approach have been repeatedly voiced within the government body, yet the prolonged stalemate has continued without any concrete remedy. Therefore, the current stalemate will likely continue in the future unless the government boldly breaks away from the existing integration of the abduction issue from the separated families issue. Practical Implications-This paper reveals the source of the prolonged stalemate from the South Korean government's policy position, its decision-making and implementation process. Thus, the paper provides a better understanding of the underlying concerns and can help find appropriate solutions to the abduction issue. Originality, Value-The North Korean abductions of South Koreans has been understudied in academia with most of the available research articles written in the Korean language. This paper will bridge that gap and provide further knowledge and insight regarding the abduction issue to the international community while humbly encouraging greater interest in this subject.

This book is a collection of original, interdisciplinary chapters on the topic of medical error. Given the complexities of understanding, preventing, and responding to medical error in ethically responsible ways, the scope of the book is fairly broad. The contributors include top scholars and practitioners working in bioethics, communication, law, medicine, and philosophy. Their contributions examine preventable causes of medical error, disproportionate impacts of errors on vulnerable populations, disclosure and apology after discovering medical errors, and ethical issues arising in specific medical contexts, such as radiation oncology, psychopathy, and palliative care. They also offer practical recommendations for respecting autonomy, distributing burdens and benefits justly, and minimizing injury to patients and other stakeholders. Ethics and Error in Medicine will be of interest to a wide range of researchers, students, and practitioners in bioethics, philosophy, communication studies, law, and medicine who are interested in the ethics of medical error.

A preclinical analysis of novel implants used in shoulder surgery requires biomechanical testing conditions close to physiology. Existing shoulder experiments may only partially apply multiple cycles to simulate postoperative, repetitive loading tasks. The aim of the present study was therefore the development of an experimental shoulder simulator with rotating scapula able to perform multiple humeral movement cycles by simulating individual muscles attached to the rotator cuff. A free-hanging, metallic humerus pivoted in a polyethylene glenoid is activated by tension forces of linear electroactuators to simulate muscles of the deltoideus (DELT), supraspinatus (SSP), infraspinatus/teres minor and subscapularis. The abductors DELT and SSP apply forces with a ratio of 3:1 up to an abduction angle of 85°. The rotating scapular part driven by a rotative electro actuator provides one-third to the overall arm abduction. Resulting joint forces and moments are measured by a 6-axis load cell. A linear increase in the DELT and SSP motors is shown up to a maximum of 150 and 50 N for the DELT and SSP, respectively. The force vector in the glenoid resulted in 253 N at the maximum abduction. The present investigation shows the contribution of individual muscle forces attached to the moving humerus to perform active abduction in order to reproducibly test shoulder implants.

With reported incidents increasing every year, kidnapping for ransom continues to be a worldwide plague. This volume provides an understanding of the kidnapping phenomenon and associated issues involving the family and law enforcement. Based on actual case experiences, the author reveals the process from the moment of kidnapping to the victim's safe return and the aftereffects of the experience. The text explains how to effectively plan and prepare for such an event and provides successful strategies for negotiation that maximize the probability of a positive resolution. The book offers additional chapters that profile typical kidnappers and examine how they plan their operations.

Cranial translation of the humeral head is related to massive rotator cuff tears; however, it may be unapparent in early-stage tears. The goal of this study was to investigate whether active abduction leads to increased active cranial humeral translation in early-stage tears. We assessed 20 consecutive patients (9 full-thickness supraspinatus tears, 11 posterosuperior tears) using the newly introduced modified active abduction view: acromiohumeral (AH) distance was measured on radiographs acquired during rest and active isometric abduction and adduction tasks with the arm alongside the body. Rest AH was 7.5 mm (SD = 1.53); during abduction and adduction, it decreased to 2.1 mm (95 % CI 1.28–3.01, p  < 0.001) and 1.1 mm (95 % CI 0.46–1.65, p  = 0.001), respectively. Cranial translation during abduction was more severe in shoulders with posterosuperior cuff tears (∆AH = 3 mm, SD = 1.5) compared to supraspinatus tears (∆AH = 1 mm, SD = 1.6), with a mean difference of 2 mm (95 % CI 0.64–3.58, p  = 0.007). Both active isometric abduction and adduction leads to active cranial translation in cuff tear patients. Cranial translation is largest during active abduction. Furthermore, there is significant more cranial translation in posterosuperior cuff tear patients compared to supraspinatus cuff tear patients. Possibly, radiographs combined with active tasks offer new possibilities in diagnosing early-stage rotator cuff tears.

Abstract In his Aquinas Lecture 1992 at Marquette University, Ernan McMullin discusses whether there is a pattern of inference that particularly characterizes the sciences of nature. He pursues this theme both on a historical and a systematic level. There is a continuity of concern across the ages that separate the Greek inquiry into nature from our own vastly more complex scientific enterprise. But there is also discontinuity, the abandonment of earlier ideals as unworkable. The natural sciences involve many types of inference; three of these interlock in a special way to produce “retroductive inference,” the kind of complex inference that supports causal theory.