bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
optimization through lateralization: the evolution of handedness
Authors: sainburg robert l. , eckhardt robert b.
Published: October 2005

the target article proposes that behavioral asymmetries evolved in response to social pressures, accounting for the unequal distribution of handedness across the population. in contrast, we provide evidence that human handedness reflects individual adaptations that enhance movement skill, and that the distribution across the population is best explained by a genetic polymorphism, either balanced or tending toward fixation for right-handedness.
evolutionary tango: perceptual asymmetries as a trick of sexual selection
Authors: tommasi luca
Published: October 2005

i suggest that a communicative context that has the potential to establish and maintain a shared advantage of behavioral lateralization should be identified in the domain of sexual selection, specifically in the interactions that individuals exploit to assess the fitness of potential mates.
Scientific Culture and Mineralogical Sciences in the Luso-Brazilian Empire: The Work of João da Silva Feijó (1760–1824) in Ceará
Authors: Lopes Maria Margaret , da Silva Clarete Paranhos , Figueirôa Silvia Fernanda de M. , Pinheiro Rachel
Published: October 2005

This paper argues that eighteenth-century Portuguese scientific policies promoted the inclusion of its main colony, Brazil, in the Enlightenment environment. This was accomplished by innovative initiatives, such as voyages to explore the colonial territory. Natural history activities, especially in mining, remained at the center of this political project and relied on co-opting groups of Portuguese in America. Based on the life of João da Silva Feijó, this article outlines the relevant connections between Feijó's scientific activities and the first Brazilian national expedition in the 1850s, which led to discussion about developing the Brazilian nation. This analysis is aimed toward the growing consensus in historiography of the sciences that scientific activities practiced outside European centers gave rise to complex interactions involving the processes of mondialization of sciences and the construction of a local scientific context.
The Poetry of Relativity: Leopoldo Lugones' The Size of Space
Authors: de Mendoza Diego Hurtado , de Asúa Miguel
Published: October 2005

As in other countries, the public in Argentina became aware of the existence of something called “the theory of relativity” only after November 1919. Although the news of Arthur Eddington's eclipse expedition, which provided the first confirmation of Einstein's theory, was poorly reported in the newspapers, by the end of 1920 Einstein had become a household name for the educated middle class of Buenos Aires, the capital city of the country. This was in great measure the result of the activity of a few enthusiastic lecturers. Significantly, none of them belonged to the prestigious Institute of Physics of the University of La Plata, which during the decade of the 1910s was considered the most important center of physical research in Latin America. Between July and August 1920 the Spanish physicist Blas Cabrera – perhaps the greatest popularizer of Einstein's theory in Spain – visited Argentina and talked about relativity. In September Georges Duclout, a French engineer who had graduated from the Zurich Polytechnic and by then was professor of applied mechanics at the School of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences (FCEFyN) of the University of Buenos Aires, also gave a series of conferences on the subject. That same month José Ubach, a Jesuit astronomer trained at the Ebro Observatory in Spain, and established in Buenos Aires, lectured on relativity at the Colegio del Salvador.
The Size of Space (An Essay on Mathematical Psychology) Translated by Miguel de Asúa and Diego Hurtado de Mendoza
Authors: Lugones Leopoldo
Published: October 2005

The contemplation of the heavenly vault suggests to any generalizing intelligence the idea of the world suspended within this concavity. During rude barbaric times such as the High Middle Ages – the records of which are precious in this respect – it was thought that this vault rested on the surface of the Earth like a glass bell. And when experience gained firstly by terrestrial travels and afterwards by circumnavigation showed that this was a delusory phenomenon and, at the same time, that the Earth was an autonomous sphere floating within space, the [heavenly] vault became in turn a hollow and translucent sphere containing the concentric world, like the white of an egg surrounding the yolk. Cosmological experience then revealed that the stars were situated at different heights in the supposed vault, which compelled imagining new concentric spheres. Finally, it was discovered that there are neither such spheres nor such a vault; that the amplification and multiplicity of the latter were illusions – as was the concave aspect of the sky – and that the space enclosing the universe is an abyss.
Tests und Tools
Authors: Prechtl Elisabeth
Published: October 2005

Zusammenfassung. Das “Interaktive System zur Identifikation sozialer Kompetenzen (ISIS)” erfasst fünf Facetten interpersonaler und führungsbezogener Kompetenzen für die Zielgruppe Mitarbeiter mit Führungsfunktion. Die computergestützte Multimedia-Umsetzung folgt dem Grundprinzip situativer Beurteilungstests. Eine soziale Situation aus dem beruflichen Alltag wird geschildert und die Antwort mit Hilfe von Multiple-Choice-Alternativen erhoben. Für die Situationsvorgabe werden neben Textbeschreibungen auch Video-, Audio- und Bilddateien eingesetzt. Da zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt wichtige empirische Güteprüfungen mit nicht-studentischen Stichproben noch ausstehen und die Normstichprobe noch unzureichend ist, sollte ISIS nicht als alleinige Informationsgrundlage für Personalentscheidungen eingesetzt werden.
Tidal currents in the St. Lawrence Island region
Authors: Danielson Seth , Kowalik Zygmunt
Published: October 2005

Vertical and spatial variability of tidal currents in the northern part of the Bering Sea near St. Lawrence Island were examined using observations made at 17 new and historical current meter mooring locations. The semidiurnal currents dominate over the diurnal currents. Semidiurnal currents exhibit a seasonal modulation with currents being somewhat stronger during the summer and fall when the density structure displays two‐layer stratification. Diurnal currents exhibit a weak semiannual modulation. Examination of the vertical structure of tidal currents shows that maximum semidiurnal currents are observed in the upper or middle layers down to a depth of about 20 m, and below this depth the energy of the semidiurnal currents decreases rapidly. However, the energy of diurnal band currents remains almost constant with depth, decreasing only in close proximity to the bottom. Rotary spectral analysis applied to the records shows further differences: the M2clockwise (CW) component of rotation dominates in the upper and middle water column but the counterclockwise component (CCW) dominates near the bottom. Interpretation of these observed results points to the different bottom boundary layers (BBL) for the CW and CCW motions in addition to the role of density stratification in organizing the BBL. We compare results of a vertically averaged two‐dimensional model to the observationally derived tidal ellipse parameters and show that the barotropic formulation provides a first‐order description of the tidal regime within the domain.
Paleoceanography of the Barents Sea during the Holocene
Authors: Duplessy J. C. , Cortijo E. , Ivanova E. , Khusid T. , Labeyrie L. , Levitan M. , Murdmaa I. , Paterne M.
Published: October 2005

We measured the oxygen isotopic composition of planktonic and benthic foraminifera in three cores collected at key positions to reconstruct the paleoceanography of the Barents Sea: core ASV 880 on the path of the northern branch of Atlantic water inflowing from the Arctic Ocean, core ASV 1200 in the central basin near the polar front, and core ASV 1157 in the main area of brine formation. Modern seawater δ18O measurements show that far from the coast, δ18O variations are linearly linked to the salinity changes associated with sea ice melting. The foraminifer δ18O records are dated by 14C measurements performed on mollusk shells, and they provide a detailed reconstruction of the paleoceanographic evolution of the Barents Sea during the Holocene. Four main steps were recognized: the terminal phase of the deglaciation with melting of the main glaciers, which were located on the surrounding continent and islands, the short thermal optimum from 7.8 ka B.P. to 6.8 ka B.P., a cold mid‐Holocene phase with a large reduction of the inflow of Atlantic water, and the inception of the modern hydrological pattern by 4.7 ka B.P. Brine water formation was active during the whole Holocene. The paleoclimatic evolution of the Barents Sea was driven by both high‐latitude summer insolation and the intensity of the Atlantic water inflow.
Melt season duration on Canadian Arctic ice caps, 2000–2004
Authors: Wang L. , Sharp M. J. , Rivard B. , Marshall S. , Burgess D.
Published: October 2005

The extent and duration of summer melt on ice caps in the Queen Elizabeth Islands (QEI), Nunavut, Canada, in 2000–2004 were mapped using enhanced resolution QuikSCAT (QSCAT) scatterometer images. The mean melt duration depends mainly on surface elevation and distance from Baffin Bay. Over most ice caps, inter‐annual variations in melt duration and the variation in melt duration with elevation are closely related to variations in the July 500 hPa height over the QEI. Pressure‐related variability in the vertical gradient of near‐surface air temperature appears to be a major control on the inter‐annual variations in average melt duration.
Postseismic and interseismic displacements near a strike‐slip fault: A two‐dimensional theory for general linear viscoelastic rheologies
Authors: Hetland E. A. , Hager B. H.
Published: October 2005

We present an analytic solution for the deformation near an infinite strike‐slip fault in an elastic layer overlying a linear viscoelastic half‐space. The theory is valid for any linear viscoelastic rheology and any earthquake sequence. This is a generalization of the work of J. C. Savage and colleagues, which only holds for models with a uniform shear modulus, Maxwell viscoelastic lower half‐space, and periodic rupture recurrence. We demonstrate the theory for models of an elastic layer over a Maxwell, standard linear solid, Burgers, and triviscous half‐space. For each of these models, we calculate example postseismic displacements, interseismic displacements in a periodic earthquake sequence, and interseismic displacements for a nonperiodic earthquake sequence. Our solution is for a simple geometry; however, the model presents an elegant tool to explore the evolution of displacements for relatively complex rheologies and rupture recurrence histories.
New Space Weather Forum at Asia Oceania Geosciences Society Conference 2005
Authors: Getley Ian L.
Published: October 2005

Researchers and airline industry representatives discuss cosmic and solar radiation.
Quantum Heisenberg antiferromagnets: a survey of the activity in Florence (Review)
Authors: Balucani U. , Capriotti L. , Cuccoli A. , Fubini A. , Tognetti V. , Roscilde T. , Vaia R. , Verrucchi P.
Published: October 2005

Over the years the research group in Florence (Firenze) has produced a number of theoretical results concerning the statistical mechanics of quantum antiferromagnetic models, which range from the theory of two-magnon Raman scattering to the characterization of the phase transitions in quantum low-dimensional antiferromagnetic models. Our research activity was steadily aimed to the understanding of experimental observations.
Fermionic versus bosonic descriptions of one-dimensional spin-gapped antiferromagnets
Authors: Yamamoto S. , Funase K.
Published: October 2005

In terms of spinless fermions and spin waves, we describe the magnetic properties of a spin-1/2 ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic bond-alternating chain which behaves as a Haldane-gap antiferromagnet. On the one hand, we employ the Jordan–Wigner transformation and treat the fermionic Hamiltonian within the Hartree–Fock approximation. On the other hand, we employ the Holstein–Primakoff transformation and modify the conventional spin-wave theory so as to restore the sublattice symmetry. We calculate the excitation gap, the specific heat, the magnetic susceptibility, magnetization curves, and the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate with varying bond alternation. These schemes are further applied to a bond-alternating tetramerized chain which behaves as a ferrimagnet. The fermionic language is particularly stressed as a useful tool for investigating one-dimensional spin-gapped antiferromagnets, while the bosonic one works better for ferrimagnets.
Antiferromagnetism and superconductivity of the two-dimensional extended t-J model
Authors: Shih C. T. , Wu J. J. , Chen Y. C. , Mou C. Y. , Chou C. P. , Eder R. , Lee T. K.
Published: October 2005

The mechanism of high-temperature superconductivity (HTS) and the correlation between the antiferromagnetic long-range order (AFLRO) and superconductivity (SC) are the central issues of the study of HTS theory. SC and AFLRO of the hole-doped two-dimensional extended t-J model are studied by the variational Monte Carlo method. The results show that SC is greatly enhanced by the long-range hopping terms t′ and t″ for the optimal and overdoped cases. The phase of coexisting SC and AFM in the t-J model disappears when t′ and t″ are included. It is concluded that the extended t-J model provides a more accurate description for HTS than the traditional t-J model does. The momentum distribution function n(k) and the shape of Fermi surface play critical roles for establishing the phase diagram of HTS materials.
Direct optical excitation of two and three magnons in α-Fe2O3
Authors: Tanabe Y. , Fujimaki Y. , Kojima K. , Uchida S. , Onari S. , Matsuo T. , Azuma S. , Hanamura E.
Published: October 2005

Direct excitation of two and three magnons is observed in mid-infrared absorption and Raman scattering spectra of α-Fe2O3 crystals. These polarization characteristics and the spectra themselves are shown to be understood from group-theoretical point of view. The microscopic mechanism of three-magnon excitation is proposed in addition to that of well-known two-magnon excitation process.
Magnetoelasticity and domain structure in antiferromagnetic crystals of the iron-group dihalides
Authors: Kalita V. M. , Lozenko A. F. , Ryabchenko S. M. , Trotsenko P. A.
Published: October 2005

We study the formation of antiferromagnetic magnetoelastic domains in easy-plane antiferromagnets of the iron-group dihalides, in which the infinite degeneracy of the spatial orientation of the antiferromagnetic vector in the basal plane is lifted on account of the spontaneous magnetostriction. In these crystals the domains differ from each other not only by the direction of the antiferromagnetic vector L in them but also by the related directions of the principal axes of the spontaneous magneostrictive strain. The system of antiferromagnetic domains turns out to be identical to the system of elastic domains. It is shown that the processes of magnetization and the induced striction in a magnetic field in the multidomain antiferromagnetic state are interconnected. Data on the field dependence of the induced magnetostriction in the multidomain state of the easy-plane antiferromagnets CoCl2 and NiCl2 are presented and analyzed. It is shown that although the magnetostriction in the cycles of imposition and removal of the magnetic field includes both reversible and irreversible contributions, the reversible being the main one. It is shown that the magnetoelastic-striction domains are responsible for reversibility (equilibrium) of the multidomain state. The field dependence of the magnetostriction of the uniform and multidomain states and the behavior of the magnetization of the crystals are described. For description of the rearrangement of the multidomain state, the approximation of a continuous distribution of domains with respect to the orientations of their L vector in the easy plane of the crystal in the absence of external magnetic field. It is shown that the matching of the elastic fields of the system of domains and the elastic fields of defects can bring about the formation of a reversible multidomain state, i.e., it can make such a state energetically favorable. The results of the analysis are in satisfactory agreement with the experimental data.
Odd magnetic dichroism of linearly polarized light in the antiferromagnet MnF2
Authors: Kharchenko N. F. , Miloslavskaya O. V. , Milner A. A.
Published: October 2005

The two-sublattice tetragonal antiferromagnetic crystal manganese fluoride is found to exhibit dichroism induced by a magnetic field H∥C4∥Z for linearly polarized light propagating along the tetragonal axis of the crystal also. The observed effect is odd with respect to the sign of the z projection of the field and the operation of reversing the directions of the sublattice magnetic moments of the antiferromagnet. The effect can be used for optical visualization of 180-degree (time-reversed) antiferromagnetic domains in MnF2.
Magnetic resonance imaging in pediatric elbow fractures
Authors: Pudas T. , Hurme T. , Mattila K. , Svedström E.
Published: October 2005

Purpose: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation of pediatric elbow trauma with or without a visible fracture on radiography.

Material and Methods: MRI was performed in the acute phase in 25 children with an elbow injury. Nine patients with an elbow effusion only on radiographs and 16 with a fracture or luxation seen on radiographs underwent subsequent MRI. No sedation was used.

Results: MRI revealed eight occult fractures (89%) in seven out of nine patients who had only an effusion on radiographs. Based on MRI findings, septic arthritis was suspected in one patient. Two patients out of five with a supracondylar fracture on the radiograph had a cartilage lesion in the humerus. MRI depicted a 3-mm gap on the articular surface in two patients with a lateral condyle fracture, a more accurate fracture location in two patients than the radiographs, and an additional occult fracture in two patients. MRI showed a fracture not seen on radiographs in two of three patients with prior luxation.

Conclusion: MRI is a sensitive and accurate method in the diagnosis of pediatric elbow injuries, especially when only an effusion is present on radiographs. Occult fractures are more common in pediatric patients with elbow injury than reported earlier.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging at 3t as a clinical tool in patients with intracranial tumors
Authors: van Westen D. , Skagerberg G. , Olsrud J. , Fransson P. , Larsson E.-M.
Published: October 2005

Purpose: To investigate the potential of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) at 3T as a clinical tool in the preoperative evaluation of patients with intracranial tumors. High magnetic field strength such as 3T is of benefit for fMRI because signal-to-noise ratio and sensitivity to susceptibility changes are field-strength-dependent.

Material and Methods: Twenty patients with tumors close to eloquent sensorimotor or language areas were studied. Motor, sensory, and two language paradigms (word generation, rhyming) were used; their effectiveness was determined as the percentage of patients in whom the functional area of interest was activated. Activation maps were calculated and their quality rated as high, adequate, or insufficient. The influence of fMRI on the neurosurgical decision regarding operability, surgical approach, and extent of the resection, was assessed.

Results: Paradigm effectiveness was 90% for motor and 95% for sensory stimulation, and varied from 79% to 95% for word generation and rhyming in combination. Ninety percent of the activation maps held high or adequate quality. fMRI proved useful: in the decision to operate (9 patients), in the surgical approach (13 patients), and in extent of the resection (12 patients).

Conclusion: fMRI at 3T is a clinically applicable tool in the work-up of patients with intracranial tumors.
Multivoxel magnetic resonance spectroscopy in gliomatosis cerebri
Authors: Uysal E. , Erturk M. , Yildirim H. , Karatag O. , Can M. , Tanik C. , Basak M.
Published: October 2005

Gliomatosis cerebri is a rare entity with non-specific clinical and conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings; accurate diagnosis is a differential diagnostic challenge. MR spectroscopy has recently been introduced as a useful diagnostic tool for detection of this entity. We present a gliomatosis cerebri case in which we made the radiological diagnosis using the MR spectroscopy findings; the diagnosis was confirmed by subsequent biopsy and histopathologic evaluation. Multivoxel spectroscopy (CSI, PRESS, 1500/135) shows a marked increase in Cho/NAA (6.6), normal to mild increase in Cho/Cr (1.2), and marked decrease in NAA/Cr (0.2) compared with the normally appearing contralateral side (Cho/NAA: 0.8, Cho/Cr: 0.9, NAA/Cr: 1.2).
Measuring heroin use in methadone maintenance programmes
Authors: Howard Kirsten , Bell James , Christie Macdonald J.
Published: October 2005

This study compares a number of self‐reported measures of drug use with the results of urine testing in a group of patients receiving methadone maintenance treatment. One hundred and twenty‐nine subjects were interviewed and 4‐5 months later, a second interview was obtained from 87 of these. At each interview subjects were asked about drug use on each of the preceding 7 days and also about the number of days of drug use in the previous month. It was found that most patients were continuing to use heroin, usually fairly infrequently. Direct comparisons of urine test results and self‐reported drug use indicate substantial positive correlations. However, there was a tendency for self‐report to underestimate drug use in this patient sample. It appears that urine testing is the single most useful measure of drug use. This supports the notion that it is a valid tool in evaluation research. However, the combination of self‐report and urine tests provides more information about drug use than any single measure.
Alcoholics' beliefs about responsibility for, and recovery from, their condition
Authors: West Robert , Power Danielle
Published: October 2005

A study was carried out with a sample of in‐patients and out‐patients in an alcohol treatment programme examining beliefs about where responsibility lay for their condition and recovery from it. Brickman et al. [1] proposed a framework for understanding these beliefs consisting of four ‘models’. In each model responsibility for causing the problem and for resolving it is considered either to lie with the individual or with other factors. The results indicated that the alcoholics' beliefs could not readily be understood in terms of this framework. As regards the cause of their condition, belief in the role of luck, personal responsibility and acceptance of a disease model emerged as independent factors. With regard to responsibility for recovery, belief in personal responsibility, the value of treatment and support and the importance of motivation emerged as separate factors. Belief in personal responsibility for causing the problem was significantly associated with acceptance of responsibility for recovery. Adoption of a disease model was negatively associated with belief in the importance of motivation in recovery. Treatment satisfaction was positively correlated with belief in the importance of treatment and support but not other dimensions. Younger patients tended to accept a lower level of personal responsibility for their condition. The results indicate the alcoholics tend to adopt quite specific beliefs about their condition and that satisfaction with a particular treatment regimen is related to belief in the value of treatment rather than any particular model concerning where responsibility for their condition and recovery from it lies.
Reviewing the needs of unemployed youth in smoking intervention programmes
Authors: Stanton Warren R. , Gillespie Amaya M. , Lowe John B.
Published: October 2005

In Australia, the impact of unemployment on adolescent smoking behaviour continues to present a major public health problem. Traditional prevention programmes in both primary and secondary schools appear to be achieving a delay in the onset of smoking. However, smoking rates of young people who are unemployed are unacceptably higher than those of in‐school youth. This paper provides a review of the published literature, showing that there has been little effort to address smoking patterns or experiences of quitting for this target group. While the provision of employment opportunities or skill training for this group is important, these strategies will not eliminate the problem of smoking. Steps must be taken to encourage research into the development of tailored programmes for unemployed youth who smoke. These programmes must be carefully considered and evaluated and meet the needs of this diverse group of young people.
The use of opioid medications in patients with chronic non‐malignant pain who have drug dependence
Authors: Sellman J. D. , Kendall N. A. S. , Macleod A. D.
Published: October 2005

The use of opioid medications in the management of painful medical conditions is currently being ‘rediscovered’. However, although drug‐dependent patients are likely to be over‐represented in the chronic pain population and are also arguably less likely to respond to non‐pharmacological interventions for chronic pain, opioid medications are considered to be relatively contraindicated for such a patient group. This paper explores, first, the background to this situation before proposing a set of interim guidelines for the use of opioid medications in the management of chronic pain in drug‐dependent patients in order to protect access to this treatment strategy for this difficult patient group, while data from controlled studies are obtained for more definitive policy formation.
Strategic developments in drug and alcohol policy*
Authors: WILLIAMS GERARD
Published: October 2005

This review of recent developments in drug and alcohol policy investigates the reasons behind those developments and questions some of the directions in which this policy is taking the services. There is a possibility that services may become superficial and it appears that there are clients who are effectively denied public health services. [Williams G. Strategic developments in drug and alcohol policy Drug Alcohol Rev 1995; 14:231–234].
The effect of using short versus detailed self‐administered questionnaires on the estimate of illicit drug use among young adults
Authors: LERMAN YEHUDA , SLEPON REPHAEL , KARK JEREMY D
Published: October 2005

We compared two study instruments in use in the Israel Defence Forces to ascertain the prevalence of illicit drug use: a short versus a detailed self‐administered anonymous questionnaire. A relatively lower estimate of illicit drug use was found among subjects that answered the short questionnaire. The difference was noted for lifetime prevalence of illicit drug use for women but not for men (6.5% of women reported ever use of illicit drugs using the detailed questionnaire versus 2.1% of women using the short questionnaire, p = 0.002); for prevalence of infrequent illicit drug use (3.3% of men and 3.4% of women reported less than monthly use of illicit drugs using the detailed questionnaire versus 0.2% of men and none of the women with the short questionnaire; p = 0.004 and p < 0.001, respectively), but not for frequent use (i e monthly or more). There was no difference in the percent of subjects that admitted that they knew where to get drugs. We conclude that the short questionnaire in routine use for more than a decade is a useful instrument when compared with the detailed questionnaire, in that the yield of important information such as frequent illicit drug use is similar. This is achieved with the benefit of greater convenience and ease of application to large samples at a lower cost.
Drug replacement treatments: is amphetamine substitution a horse of a different colour?
Authors: MATTICK RICHARD P. , DARKE SHANE
Published: October 2005

Advocates of amphetamine substitution therapy argue that needle sharing by amphetamine users, and associated infectious disease risk, outweigh the risks associated with oral dexamphetamine substitution prescribing, and that substitution can allow stabilization and gradual withdrawal of patients, or maintenance. Others note that amphetamine users are not generally physically dependent, dexamphetamine prescribing can lead to increased drug use and psychosis, and that there are possible neurotoxic effects from prolonged chronic exposure to amphetamines. Research on the impact of amphetamine and cocaine prescribing on drug use, injecting, social adjustment and criminal involvement is lacking apart from a small number of retrospective case reports. Early experience in the United Kingdom leads to the view that amphetamine maintenance was a therapeutic failure. More recently, clinicians have expressed confidence that the approach has merit, and while their claims should not be discounted there remains no empirical basis to support them. Although dexamphetamine substitution therapy has been heralded as an important intervention to reduce injecting behaviour and associated infectious disease risk, there is very little research which attests to its success in reaching this goal. Indeed, what is known regarding patterns of amphetamine use and the effects of prolonged use of the drug raise serious doubts as to the efficacy of amphetamine maintenance. There is an urgent need for randomized or case‐controlled trails of the efficacy of these procedures. Until such empirical comparative research is available, the benefits to be gained from dexamphetamine substitution therapy remain speculative and opinion‐based.
Does alcohol advertising have an impact on the public health?
Authors: CASSWELL SALLY
Published: October 2005

This presentation draws on recent New Zealand and international research to examine a number of questions about the possible public health impact of policy which allows alcohol to be advertised on the broadcast media. The relevant public health questions include: the contribution of alcohol advertising to aggregate levels of consumption and alcohol‐related problems; the impact on the drinking and attitudes of the heaviest drinking sector, young males, who tend to be a primary target for the advertising; the impact on those already experiencing problems associated with their drinking and wanting to abstain or cut down; the impact on the young as they move towards becoming drinkers; the impact on the likely efficacy of educational campaigns about drinking; and the impact on the social climate surrounding alcohol and in turn on the support for effective public policies to reduce alcohol‐related harm. Research in this area has increased in both conceptual and methodological sophistication in the past decade and studies using a number of complementary methods are available to assist our understanding of the likely impact of broadcast alcohol advertising. Evidence that advertising is likely to contribute to higher levels of drinking and related problems has strengthened over the past decade, suggesting that public health interests should be considered as one of the relevant voices in the ongoing policy debate around alcohol advertising.
Chewing as a social act: cultural displacement and khat consumption in the East African communities of Melbourne
Authors: STEVENSON MARK , FITZGERALD JOHN , BANWELL CATHY
Published: October 2005

In this paper we present a review of practices surrounding the consumption of khat (Catha edulis) within recent migrant communities in Melbourne from East Africa. Cultures in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsular have used khat as a stimulant since the seventh century and the practice of coming together to chew the leaves of the khat plant has acquired unique cultural importance. Based on focus‐group interviews the research examines transformations taking place in the meaning of khat for East African communities within their experiences of displacement and considers how the arrival of khat might be managed in the Australian context. Emphasis is given to indigenous models and the cultural context of practices surrounding khat. This anthropology of khat use in Melbourne summarizes issues such as who chews it, traditional settings for khat gatherings, culturally defined effects of the leaf, health effects, beliefs and attitudes, levels of use, gendered attitudes and questions of dependence. These issues raise questions regarding the reception of indigenous substance use within a state that claims to be multicultural.
KEYNOTE ADDRESS FROM THE 7TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE REDUCTION OF DRUG‐RELATED HARM:Harm reduction and social policy: should addicts be paid?
Authors: REUTER PETER , MacCOUN ROBERT J.
Published: October 2005

Harm reduction principles have not been applied to social policy programs that affect drug users. This paper considers whether income supports for the drug‐dependent poor might be harm reducing, given that a principal harm related to drug dependence is crime committed to finance drug use. We examine the political fate of the principal income support program in the United States that targeted the drug dependent. Revelations that the money was being used in part for the purchase of drugs has led to a scaling back and tightening of the program. We suggest that the program might have been more effectively defended if attention had been paid to community harms rather than only to drug consumption by recipients. European and Australian governments provide income support which is no doubt also used for drug consumption, but in the context of universalist income support programs they do not require a harm reduction defense. We conclude that great potential for reducing drug‐related harm may fall well outside the domain of targeted drug policy, whether of the supply reduction, demand reduction or harm reduction variety.
KEYNOTE ADDRESS FROM THE 7TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE REDUCTION OF DRUG‐RELATED HARM:What does mathematical modeling tell us about harm reduction?
Authors: CAULKINS JONATHAN P.
Published: October 2005

This paper argues, primarily by example, that mathematical modeling can contribute to harm reduction‐orientated drug policy making in three ways: by contributing to quantitative evaluations of effectiveness, by improving data and understanding of the underlying drug‐related phenomena, and by encouraging precise thinking about the goals and objectives of harm reduction.
Benzodiazepine use among heroin users in Sydney: patterns of use, availability and procurement
Authors: ROSS JOANNE , DARKE SHANE , HALL WAYNE
Published: October 2005

A sample of 210 heroin users who had used benzodiazepines during the preceding 6 months were interviewed about their benzodiazepine use. Forty‐one percent of the sample reported having used benzodiazepines more than once a week during the 6 months preceding interview. Forty‐eight percent had injected benzodiazepines, with 17% having done so during the preceding 6 months. Eleven percent of the sample reported having experienced convulsions when attempting detoxification from benzodiazepines. The majority of subjects (86%) indicated that benzodiazepines are easy or very easy to obtain. Only a third of the sample reported obtaining benzodiazepines exclusively through a doctor in the last 6 months. Over a half of the sample indicated that they had given or sold benzodiazepines to someone during that time. Diazepam was considered by subjects to be the easiest benzodiazepine to procure. Doctors should avoid the prescription of benzodiazepines to injecting drug users, particularly the more readily injectable drug temazepam. Given the widespread use of benzodiazepines by injection, research needs to examine the harm associated with the parenteral use of these drugs.
“Non injectables”: methadone syrup and benzodiazepine injection by methadone‐maintained clients
Authors: SUNJIC SANDRA , HOWARD JOHN
Published: October 2005

To obtain more information about anecdotal reports of injection of methadone syrup and benzodiazepine drugs among injecting drug users, interviews were conducted with 32 subjects as part of a larger study into drug use patterns of clients in methadone maintenance treatment. Subjects were asked about frequency of injection of methadone and benzodiazepines, reasons for injection and methods of preparation for injection. The study found that 78% had injected methadone and 25% had injected benzodiazepines at some time during their drug using careers. Service providers can play an important role in promoting harm minimization strategies, and utilizing behaviour modification techniques.
Anti‐social personality disorder and response to methadone maintenance treatment
Authors: DARKE SHANE , FINLAY‐JONES ROBERT , KAYE SHARLENE , BLATT TEEYA
Published: October 2005

A sample of 183 current methadone maintenance patients were interviewed on their drug use history, criminal history, current drug use, and symptoms of Anti‐social Personality Disorder (ASPD). Thirty‐nine percent of patients met the DSM‐III‐R criteria for a diagnosis of ASPD. ASPD patients had an earlier onset of drug use, drug injecting, heroin use, had wider polydrug using histories and had been arrested earlier and more frequently than other patients. Despite the different pretreatment histories of ASPD and other patients, there were no differences between the two groups in retention in treatment, methadone dosage or heroin use. It is concluded that heroin‐dependent ASPD patients can be successfully retained in methadone treatment, on similar methadone doses and with similar in‐treatment drug use patterns as those of non‐ASPD heroin dependent patients.
The New South Wales Driver Assessment Programme: a pilot programme for assessment of drink drivers
Authors: CONIGRAVE KATHERINE M. , CARSELDINE DONALD C. A.
Published: October 2005

The NSW Driver Assessment Programme operated in Sydney from 1991‐94 as a pilot scheme for the medical assessment of drink driver offenders. In this report we describe its functioning and characterize its 2267 participants. Offenders who had been convicted of driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.15 g/dL or more, or of refusing a breath test were referred to one of five Driver Assessment Clinics in Sydney. Medical assessment was mandatory before the driver's licence could be renewed. Of the 2267 offenders referred to the Programme, 922 (41%) attended an assessment during the operation of the scheme, with non‐attenders having longer disqualification periods than attenders. Among attenders, 691 (75%) were judged fit to drive (i.e. “passed”). There was no significant variation in pass rate between centres. Of the 112 offenders who had laboratory results available from both first and second assessments, 68 (61%) showed a significant reduction in gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT) levels. We conclude that there was evidence of health benefit from the Programme in the fall in GGT levels in 61% repeat attenders. To assess the effects of the scheme on road safety would require prospective data collection on recidivism, road traffic accidents and, if possible, on self‐reported drink‐driving behaviour.
Restrictions on tobacco and alcohol use in Australian work‐places
Authors: RICHMOND ROBYN , HEATHER NICK , HOLT PHOEBE
Published: October 2005

In a telephone survey of 455 of the top 600 companies in Australia, around three‐quarters reported the existence of restrictions on both smoking and alcohol in the workplace. Forty‐six percent of companies had a total ban on smoking at work, 31% had designated limited areas where employees were permitted to smoke, and 23% had no policy on smoking. Seventy‐seven percent of companies encouraged a total alcohol‐free work environment. The larger the company, the more likely it was to have restrictions on smoking in the work‐place, but there was no relationship between the size of the company and alcohol restrictions. Government organizations were more likely to have restrictions on smoking than nongovernment organizations, but this difference was not apparent for alcohol restrictions. The major reasons given for smoking restrictions were related to health and comfort, while those for alcohol were related to work productivity and safety.
Heroin prescribing in the “British System” of the mid 1990s: data from the 1995 national survey of community pharmacies in England and Wales
Authors: STRANG JOHN , SHERIDAN JANIE
Published: October 2005

Prescribing heroin in the treatment of addiction has been, until recently, an exclusively UK practice. However, despite international fascination with such prescribing, no recent report exists on the extent or nature of the practice. Furthermore, no data have ever previously been available on dispensing arrangements and geographical localization of heroin‐prescribing to addicts. Data are presented on heroin prescriptions being dispensed to addicts in 1995, collected through the national survey of a 1 in 4 sample of the 10 616 community pharmacies in England and Wales. The 64 heroin prescriptions constituted only 1.7% of the 3846 prescriptions for opiates being issued to addicts by regarding community pharmacists, while methadone accounted for 96.0%. Heroin daily doses were more than three times higher than for methadone. Heroin was mainly prescribed in injectable form and, in contrast to methadone prescriptions, was mainly dispensed on a daily basis. Major regional variations in the extent of heroin‐prescribing in the United Kingdom have been identified, with these variations appearing to relate to the practice of individual doctors rather than the nature of the local problem.
A meta‐analysis of the effectiveness of acupuncture in smoking cessation
Authors: ASHENDEN RUTH , SILAGY CHRISTOPHER A. , LODGE MARK , FOWLER GODFREY
Published: October 2005

The role of acupuncture in facilitating smoking cessation is controversial. A systematic review was undertaken, incorporating meta‐analytic techniques, of all the available randomized controlled trials examining the effectiveness of acupuncture in smoking cessation. Based on the data from nine trials involving 2707 patients, the odds ratio of abstinence at 6–12 months' follow‐up is 1.48 (95% confidence interval 1.13‐1.94) with acupuncture compared to no acupuncture or sham acupuncture. The odds of quitting were higher in comparisons between acupuncture and no acupuncture (OR 2.41, CI: 1.52 to 3.83) than between acupuncture and sham acupuncture (OR 1.16, CI: 0.90 to 1.49). Many of the included trials were small and had methodological shortcomings. Therefore, while acupuncture appears promising, there is insufficient evidence at this point, without further research, to recommend it as an effective form of therapy.
Risky drug practices and treatment needs of youth detained in New South Wales Juvenile Justice Centres
Authors: HANDO JULIE , HOWARD JOHN , ZIBERT ERNIE
Published: October 2005

Demographic, drug use and criminal correlates of risky drug practices were examined among 279 detained youth in NSW Juvenile Justice Centres. Binge drinking was common, with 63% reporting the consumption of at least five drinks in a row in the 2 weeks prior to incarceration. It was associated with being older, being from an English‐speaking background, regular tobacco consumption and having a current drug problem. A quarter (24%) of the sample had injected an illicit drug, over one‐third (37%) of whom also reported sharing needles. Injectors were more likely to be polydrug users, regular amphetamine users and have a past history of drug treatment. While 16% of the sample indicated a need for drug treatment, only 10% were currently receiving some form of treatment, most commonly counselling. Appropriate strategies are needed among this population to address gaps in treatment provision.
Approaches to preventing alcohol‐related problems: the experience of New Zealand and Australia
Authors: STEWART LIZ
Published: October 2005

New Zealand and Australia have experienced similarities in their drinking cultures and patterns since colonization. This paper briefly reviews those experiences and looks at the approaches both countries have taken in dealing with alcohol‐related problems. Over 10 years ago Australia developed a national strategy embracing a harm reduction approach and more recently New Zealand embarked upon a similar process. As well as examining the development of these, other initiatives are examined. These include approaches to licensing of alcohol sales, taxation, alcohol promotion, control of drinking on licensed premises, drinking and driving intervention, community action, initiatives by Maori and Aboriginal people and efforts to educate the individual drinker.
The pattern of intravenous drug use and associated criminal activity in patients on a methadone treatment waiting list
Authors: ADAMSON SIMON J. , SELLMAN J. DOUGLAS
Published: October 2005

Sixty‐four patients on the Christchurch Methadone Treatment Programme waiting list were questioned on their drug‐use behaviour, criminal activity and sources of income, both legal and illegal, for the preceding 7 days. Opioids used included morphine sulphate tablets, methadone and opium poppies, while other drugs used included tranquillizers, cannabis and alcohol. A significant minority were prescribed opioids. The mean cost of drugs used in 7 days across all subjects was $882. The mean financial gain from criminal sources for the same period was $1079 and was derived from drug‐related crime, property crime and prostitution. Few gender differences were found relating to criminal activity or drug use. The majority of the sample were on unemployment benefits of varying types while a minority were in paid employment. Those in paid employment did not earn significantly less from criminal activity, nor did they spend significantly less on drug use than did those not in paid employment. An important implication of these findings is that untreated opioid users are a substantial financial burden to the community, strongly supporting the argument for greater treatment provision.
The influence of individual and organizational factors on the reported smoking intervention practices of staff in 20 antenatal clinics
Authors: COOKE MARGARET , MATTICK RICHARD P. , CAMPBELL ELIZABETH
Published: October 2005

This study investigates the factors which influence the reported use of a smoking cessation interventions in antenatal clinics. Midwives and doctors in 20 hospital antenatal clinics (n = 203) completed a survey designed to measure their perceptions, knowledge and use of brief interventions for smoking. Measures for hospital structure and work climate were also obtained. The aims of the study are: to describe the smoking intervention practice of antenatal clinic staff and to ascertain the organizational and practitioner variables which predict clinician use of smoking interventions. The results indicate that the majority of antenatal clinic staff do not use the most effective forms of brief interventions for smoking. The presence of specific procedures and training in smoking cessation intervention appear to be the most important predictors of reported smoking intervention in hospital antenatal clinics.