bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Solid Waste Disposal in China-Situation, Problems and Suggestions
Authors: Wei Jin-Bao , Herbell Jan-Dirk , Shuo Zhang
Published: March 2007

This paper investigates the current situation of municipal and industrial solid waste disposal in China. Recent Chinese literature about solid waste disposal in China has been reviewed and data analysed on the total amount of solid wastes generated and compositional variations over the last ten years in the city of Wuhan. The results show a rapid increase in the total amount of municipal solid wastes and significant composition changes. These are related to the increased population in China and the enhanced living standards in the last years. In Wuhan City, for example, the total amount of municipal solid wastes increased from 1.19 million tonnes in 1985 to 1.50 million tonnes in 1993, and is estimated to reach 2 million tonnes in 2000. Until now large amounts of municipal solid wastes in many cities in China were transported to the suburban districts and dumped into the low-lying land directly without any controlled disposal.

The total amount of industrial solid waste in China was about 580 million tonnes in 1990. Until 1990, about 6.5 billion tonnes industrial waste was stockpiled in China, occupying an area of 58 692 hectares, of which 4060 hectares is potential farming land. The total amount of industrial solid waste in Wuhan was 5.6 million tonnes in 1992, in which 5.0 million tonnes was recycled, 30 000 tonnes was treated physically or chemically and finally disposed, 0.31 million tonnes was deposited near the plant, and 0.26 million tonnes was discharged into rivers, lakes and seas. Although the rate of recycling is very high (89%), this is mainly due to the re-use of some kinds of wastes like fly-ash, slag, coal spoil. The amount of the stockpiled and discharged wastes, especially hazardous wastes which cause considerable pollution in China, is still very large. To overcome existing solid waste management problems in China, some measures are suggested in this paper. © 1997 ISWA
Filtration through hydraulic embankments made of colliery spoil: model tests
Authors: Skarzyńska Krystyna M. , Michalski Piotr
Published: March 2007

Model embankments made of colliery spoil and fuel ash were investigated in a hydraulic channel. Seven models of colliery spoil with or without additional sealing elements from the ash, as well as one of ash itself, were constructed. The effect of granulometric composition, compaction, different types of sealings, and the silting-up process on embankment perme ability was ascertained. Embankment slope stability was also analysed with respect to seepage pressure and strength param eters of the slope material. The effect of granulometric com position, thickness of sealing elements, and silting-up on water seepage through the embankments was significant. On the other hand, compaction had less influence than the above mentioned factors. The effect of seepage pressure on slope stability of the embankment made from fuel ash was failure. General recommendations for building hydraulic earth structures using the materials investigated are pre sented.
A possible strategy for municipal solid waste management in Greece
Authors: Agapitidis Ioannis , Frantzis Ioannis
Published: March 2007

Solid waste management in Greece has reached a turning point. Unsatisfactory waste management practice, aggravated by public opposition, increasing waste volumes and high rates for the consumer, have come to a point at which changes have to be made. On the other hand, European Union policies are putting pressure for new waste methods to be followed, as far as legal and financial matters are concerned. The implementation and enforcement of waste management changes causes great difficulties. It is the aim of this paper to state clear targets that local governments in Greece could use to respond to the inev itable changes coming in the near future.
Accounting for water storage effects in landfill leachate modelling
Authors: Guyonnet D. , Didier-Guelorget B. , Provost G. , Feuillet C.
Published: March 2007

The water balance method is a widespread approach for esti mating the volumes of leachate that a landfill is likely to pro duce. Yet, this method does not always adequately reproduce observed patterns of landfill leachate production. This paper proposes a modified approach that tries to account for the hydrologic behaviour of the waste in a manner which is believed to be consistent with field measurements. The con ceptual model considers that a certain proportion of infiltra tion into the waste percolates rapidly through preferential pathways, while the remaining infiltration is absorbed by the waste and released following a first-order kinetic relationship. A comparison between the proposed model and leachate vol umes measured daily at two municipal solid waste landfills in France over a period of up to nine months suggests that the proposed approach is capable of reproducing observed behav iour. Moreover, the values attributed to the fitting parameters in order to obtain a satisfactory match between measured and calculated data are consistent with knowledge of the systems at hand and with the results of previous authors. While the proposed approach is not expected to improve substantially the long-term predictive capability of landfill leachate mod elling, it is believed to be well suited for hydrologic perfor mance diagnosis and for landfill leachate treatment system design.
Degradability of organic chemicals in a landfill environment studied by in situ and laboratory leachate reactors
Authors: Kromann Annette , Christensen Thomas H.
Published: March 2007

The degradability of 19 organic chemicals (BTEX, chlori nated aliphatic compound, mtroaromatic compounds and anilines) in a landfill environment was studied using different test systems designed to focus on degradation and to avoid or account for loss of chemicals by sorption to the waste, by vol atilization to the gas phase and/or by leaching. The test sys tems used were reactors installed in a leachate well at an actual landfill, reactors submerged in an artificial leachate well in the laboratory and laboratory batch reactors. During the 6-month study period, the different test systems revealed almost identical degradability of the organic chemicals, show ing that the less expensive laboratory set-ups were appropri ate methods. In the landfill environment studied, character ized by stabilized anaerobic conditions with low methane pro duction, no degradation was observed for PCE, BTX, naph thalene and anilines, but 1,1,1-TCA, TeCM, nitrobenzene, 2-methyl-nitrobenzene, 4-methyl-nitrobenzene, o-dini trobenzene and m-dinitrobenzene were transformed. Partial transformation of ethylbenzene (E) was observed. Abiotic processes seemed to be important for the transformation of 1,1,1-TCA, TeCM and partly also for the transformation of the nitroaromatic compounds.
Waste plastics: lignite mixtures co-liquefaction over Si/Al catalysts
Authors: Gimouhopoulos Kostas , Doulia Danae , Vlyssides Apostolos , Georgiou Dimitri
Published: March 2007

The results of an investigation of the conversion of lignite and post-consumer polymers into liquid products are reported in this paper. At first, a series of silica-alumina acidic catalysts were prepared by sol-gel chemistry with different Si/Al compositions and the catalysts ratio of Bronsted to Lewis acid sites was determined. Then thermal and catalytic col-iquefactions were attempted on 1/1 mixtures of lignite and waste plastics, e.g., PS, PISO and PE. It was found that the catalysts prepared enhanced oil formation in all cases although lignite and polymeric materials demonstrated a variety of catalytic characteristics. Thermal and catalytic reactions of polystyrene (PS) and polyisoprene (PISO) showed that both polymers were liquefied easily at 420°C while polyethylene (PE) did not interact promptly under the same conditions. The conversion of the solid materials correlated with the concentration of Bronsted acidity on the catalysts employed.
An Inventory of Family-Friendly Benefit Practices in Small New Jersey Local Governments
Authors: Roberts Gary
Published: March 2007

Local government human resource management practices are under pressure with changes in family structure, increas ing workforce diversity, the aging of the workforce and organizational reinvention initiatives (Bond, Galinsky & Swanberg, 1998). The goal of this research effort is to determine the prevalence of specific benefit practices in a sample of small New Jersey local governments. The strength of New Jersey local government benefit packages centers on the traditional benefits of health insurance, pension benefits and paid time-off. The effectiveness ofthe benefit package can be enhanced by allowing employees to utilize sick time for family or child emergencies. Recommendations to broaden the prevalence of work-life benefits include benefit consortiums and participation in state benefit plans.
Civil Service Reform: the Views of the Senior Executive Service1
Authors: Colby Peter W. , Ingraham Patricia W.
Published: March 2007

The creation of the Senior Executive Service as part of the 1978 Civil Service Reform Act is thought to be a major step in making government more effective and efficient. However, for SES to function properly, it needs the strong support of its members. Some pre-implementation survey reports described future SESers as eager for the changes. Others detected significant undercurrents of skepticism and cynicism. After a rather rocky period of implementation, our March 1981 survey reveals that SESers now have an overwhelmingly negative view of SES. If it is true that SES can succeed only with SESer support, the reform is in trouble.
The Formal Discussion Requirement in Federal Labor Relations — a Reassessment
Authors: Loney Timothy J.
Published: March 2007

This paper summarizes the results of an evaluation of the formal discussion requirement of the federal labor-management relations program. The results suggest that the goals of the formal discus sion requirement are unclear and that its current interpretation bears no relationship to the intent of the original 1961 policy.
Child-Care Delivery Systems in the Government Sector
Authors: Suntrup Edward L.
Published: March 2007

Background statistics on the American occupational structure are given to situate the need for child-care assistance for American families in the 1980's since there is an increasing pro portion of mothers gainfully employed. Further, single-parent households now comprise 20% of U.S. families.
Age Related Employment Issues in Florida Municipal Governments
Authors: Roberts Gary E.
Published: March 2007

Of all the projections concerning the nature and composition of the United State's future labor force, the prediction with the greatest degree of consensus targets employee aging. This study employs a sample of 45 Florida muncipal governments to examine a number of issues related to the aging labor force and human resources management policy and practice. The results indicate that formal charges of age discrimination are rare in municipal governments and that few muncipal governments are developing age-related training programs.
Specialty Health Care Services in Municipal Government
Authors: Streib Gregory
Published: March 2007

This article examines the use of specialty health care services in municipal governments. Findings are provided by a comprehensive national survey. The focus is on describing the use of specialty services and exploring their impact upon satisfaction and the overall cost of coverage. The data show some interesting variations in the use of these services. They also suggest some important relationships with satisfaction and cost. For example, the overall cost of indemnity programs appears closely linked to the number of specialty services. Also, individual services such as dental care and eye care were associated with more expensive indemnity programs.
From Dual Policy to Dual Attitudes
Authors: Bennett Joel B. , Lehman Wayne E. K.
Published: March 2007

Admmistrators of workplace substance use policies often coordinate many components such as drug-testing, discipline, EAP, and employee awareness Analyses from two municipalities (ns = 1,068, 1,081) indicated that employees who most disfavor all policy components— particularly drug-testing—report higher frequencies of alcohol drunkenness In contrast, employees with the most punitive attitudes report the highest levels of exposure to co-worker use Finally, those who favor an educative approach report higher levels of alcohol use but not alcohol problems or drug use Policy administrators are likely to benefit from listening to and addressing these differences in policy attitudes
The New Public Management and its Consequences in the Public Personnel System
Authors: Rocha J. A Oliveira
Published: March 2007

Editor's Note: The Summer 1997 issue of ROPPA was devoted to a comparative analysis of personnel reforms in several European countries The symposium editor, David Farnham of the University of Portsmouth (UK), included selections dealing with "employment flexibilities" in the UK, Germany, Norway, and Spain For the most part, the authors of the various articles presented a relatively upbeat and positive outlook on personnel system reforms in their respective countries The following Professional Note, in contrast, provides a gloomier view of how reinvention-like reforms are altering public management practices in at least one European nation Jose Rocha, professor of public administration at the University of Minho, describes how moves to debureaucratize and decentralize Portuguese public administration have led to some unanticipated consequences. Increased levels of corruption, inefficiency, and politicization of the civil service are attributed to the "reforms" that emerged from the New Public Management movement sweeping Europe As such, Rocha's Professional Note is essentially intended as an indirect rebuttal to the earlier symposium. By pointing out some of the inconsistencies in the reform agenda, he identifies dilemmas that have also become apparent in the American experience with personnel system transformations.
No more Dreams of America
Authors: Graham Ann
Published: March 2007

This article addresses how Western skills and knowledge of citizen group activity were introduced in Poland by one American program, implications of these ideas for citizen participation in local planning decisions in two small communities, whether the transfer of American knowledge influenced interactions between citizens and local government officials, and the degree to which the wider context of globalization is significant to local planning systems in transition. The author’s contention is that despite the strength of global ideas, the global economy, and the power of international political systems and processes, the willingness and capacity of local government to adapt local planning systems to include citizen opinions and the power of local citizens—both women and men—to participate actively in local affairs in small, rural communities are more strongly influenced, at this time, by the nation-state and the individual community’s economic and political place within the nation-state.
Planning as Science
Authors: Hopkins Lewis D.
Published: March 2007

Planning scholarship will benefit from research conversations focused on cumulative knowledge about how planning works and how urban settlements work. Our everyday decisions present opportunities. (1) Initiate and sustain conversations through conferences. (2) Referee papers to encourage cumulative scholarship. (3) Cultivate funding sources. (4) Establish awards that recognize contributions to conversations. (5) Hire faculty with scholarly conversations in mind.
Collaboration among Small, Community-Based Organizations
Authors: Takahashi Lois M. , Smutny Gayla
Published: March 2007

Because of shifts in funding resources and calls for mandated cooperation, small community-based organizations are increasingly engaging in collaborative partnerships. This article focuses on how well collaboration works in practice for small community-based organizations. Existing research suggests that small community-based organizations, because of their informal organizational structures and adapttability, can develop highly effective partnerships. However, such organizations are largely inexperienced at implementing formal partnerships with other groups, leading to a potential for significant conflict. The article presents the case study of three small community-based organizations and illustrates the rather unexpected result that even with high degrees of interagency conflict, collaboration can result in highly effective programmatic outcomes.
A Partial History of Planning Workshops: The Experience of Ten Schools from 1955 to 1984
Authors: Heumann Leonard F. , Wetmore Louis B.
Published: March 2007

This paper examines the changing role of the workshop or studio course in the planning curriculum over the period of 1955 to 1984 Telephone interviews were conducted with twenty faculty members at ten of the sixteen schools which had established Masters degrees in 1955 It was found that the central element of the curriculum in 1955 at all ten schools was a sequence of two or three workshops After 1960 there was a decline in the number of workshops at most schools, and some curricula dropped the workshop as a requirement in the 1970s The emergence of three diverse roles is analyzed for the workshop by 1984 Trends in five aspects of the workshop activity — workshop requirements, workshop objectives, faculty role, the use of clients, and space allocation — are examined Reasons for the changes between 1955 and the present are suggested
Influences of Context and Process on Project Planning Success
Authors: Bryson John M. , Bromiley Philip , Yoon Soo Jung
Published: March 2007

This study reports results of a quan titative analysis of fifty-eight cases of deliberate efforts to produce ma jor change, or "projects." The results demonstrate that (1) the greater the potential impact on resource alloca tion patterns, (2) the greater the ex tent of problem identification efforts, and (3) the more extensive the use of problem solving as a conflict reso lution strategy, the more likely it is that project goals will be achieved and that the organization with prime responsibility for the project will be satisfied. The study provides an em pirical defense for the utility of planning and planners, and guidance on ways to improve planning prac tice.
Without a Net: Modernist Planning and the Postmodern Abyss
Authors: Beauregard Robert A.
Published: March 2007

Planning is currently suspended be tween a modernist sensibility whose validity is problematic and a post modern reality posing serious chal lenges to planning's underlying as sumptions. The result is an undesirable practical and intellectual ambivalence. The writings of Peter Marris and John Friedmann, Daniel Burnham and Frederic C. Howe, Clif ford Geertz and James Clifford are used to elaborate and illustrate this argument and to forge links between planning and critical social theory.
Reflections on Teaching Three Versions of a Planning Ethics Course
Authors: Kaufman Jerome L.
Published: March 2007

Planning ethics courses are of relatively recent vintage and not often taught. They may, however, become more common as a result of vigorous scholarly attention being given to planning ethics and the prominence ethics and values were given in the 1989 revision of the PAB accreditation curriculum guidelines. This article discusses, assesses, and draws lessons from three versions of a planning ethics class taught intermittently over the past twelve years by the author.
Urban Form and Social Context: Cultural Differentiation in the Uses of Urban Parks
Authors: Loukaitou-Sideris Anastasia
Published: March 2007

The paper examines four case studies of neighborhood parks in socially and ethnically diverse communities of Los Angeles in order to explore similarities and differences of their uses and assigned meanings. More specifically, the study utilizes structured field observations and surveys of users in order to examine sociocultural patterns of park use, the relevance of past models of park design, and the level of fit between current park form and contemporary user needs.
Planning Responses to Global Restructuring: Implications for Major Korean Cities
Authors: Cho Cheol-Joo
Published: March 2007

The global restructuring of world capitalism is so influential that no city or region remains unaffected. In Korea, the multifaceted economic, social, and spatial restructuring could provide an opportunity for the economic growth of some cities, while for others they present a challenge to the planning profession. This paper first examines the process of fundamental restructuring that has been taking place at the global level. It then evaluates the internal and external strains that restructuring has exerted on major Korean cities. Based on the urban pressures, various problems and policy issues that face urban policy-makers are discussed. The paper is an attempt to link macro logic at the global level global restructuring-to the micro logic of planning policy at the city and regional level. It is based on the firm belief that a thorough understanding of ongoing structural changes is required for Korean cities to cope with the contemporary process of global restructuring.
Problem-Based Learning: A Bridge between Planning Education and Planning Practice
Authors: Shepherd Anne , Cosgrif Bryna
Published: March 2007

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a promising educational method to help students acquire the skills and knowledge to be more effective practitioners. Students learn how to learn as they tackle a real-world planning problem. The instructor, as a cognitive coach, ensures that students are active, collaborative, and reflective problem-solvers. In this article, we explore the theoretical foundations and the practical benefits of problem-based learning for planning education. We detail a process for implementing problem-based learning in the classroom, illustrated with an example from a planning course. This article suggests that PBL can help to bridge the gap between planning education and practice, and can help to improve traditional methods of academic instruction.
Planning for Recreation in Rural England
Authors: Ravenscroft Neil , Reeves Jo
Published: March 2007

In this paper, we analyze recent rural strategy initiatives in England in an attempt to explore the relationship between planning policy and the provision of outdoor recreation. Notwithstanding a wider rhetoric of accessibility to the countryside, much recreational planning activity has been based on the discriminatory notion of acceptable leisure activities. Acceptability in this case is associated with a land use planning system in which land itself assumes a form of naturalness, in contrast to its uses, which are seen to be socially constructed. This dualism is based not on any definition of demand, need, or public interest, but on a continuing spatial determinism in which rights of land ownership are constructed as both socially and morally superior to other rights. This continues to legitimize a rationalized form of protection through the statutory planning system.
Familism and Participation in Government Work-Training Programs Among Chicano Aged
Authors: Mirandé Alfredo
Published: March 2007

The hypothesis that familism has an adverse effect on partici pation in government work-training programs was tested with a sample of 600 elderly (55 and over) Chicano respondents in three communities of varying size in a Southern California coun ty. Results show that respondents were highly familistic, were generally not familiar with government programs, and had a low level of program participation. As hypothesized, those who were most familistic tended to have less knowledge and a lower level of participation. Familism was also associated with placing greater importance to programs that (a) have Spanish-speaking personnel, (b) have Chicano staff, (c) are located in the local community, and (d) provide transportation for participants. These findings lend support to the contention that familism is a critical dimension of Chicano culture.
Peer Interaction, Language Proficiency, and Language Preference in Bilingual Preschool Classrooms
Authors: Chesterfield Kathleen Barrows , Chesterfield Ray A. , Chavez Regino
Published: March 2007

Classroom interactional patterns by language choice and speech partner of six 4-year-old Spanish-preferring children enrolled in a bilingual preschool were observed over the course of 1 year. It was found that those children who used relatively more English with peers in the classroom and who increased their English usage over time generally showed the greatest increases in English proficiency as measured by mean length of utterance. Rank order correlations of increased language proficiency and various measures of classroom interaction suggest that interaction with peers who speak English relates directly to second-language proficiency and that there is a closer relationship between children's interactional patterns with peers than between such patterns with teachers in regard to increased second-language proficiency. In addition, increased proficiency in English led to a change in language preference in the context of the preschool classroom.
An Analysis of Culturalism in Latino Mental Health: Folk Medicine as a Case in Point
Authors: De La Cancela Victor , Martinez Iris Zavala
Published: March 2007

This paper examines the cultural perspective often advocated by Latino mental health workers and identifies some of its limiting aspects. Particular attention is given to folk healing practices as reflecting the current culturalist perspective in order to put in focus its limitations and strengths, and to offer an alternative conceptualization. This analysis is informed by a critical perspective which pursues an examination of a given reality in order to demystify its structure and identify its underlying and interconnected elements.
A Comparison of Anglos and Mexican Americans on Selected Measures of Social Support
Authors: Vernon Sally W. , Roberts Robert E.
Published: March 2007

Differences between Anglos and Mexican Americans are examined for three measures of social support. Most initial ethnic differences disappeared when the effects of age, gender, education, income, and marital status were controlled. There were some differences in the pattern and magnitude of associations between measures of social support and demographic variables when analyses were stratified by ethnicity. Methodologic and substantive implications of the findings are discussed.
Generational Status and Personality Factors as Predictors of Stress in Students
Authors: Padilla Amado M. , Alvarez Monica , Lindholm Kathryn J.
Published: March 2007

To determine the effect of generational status on stress and several personality measures, 247 university students were asked to complete a questionnaire containing a new stress scale designed for use with immigrant students, Coopersmith's brief Self-Esteem Inventory, Rotters Internal/External Locus of Control Scale, and the introversion/extroversion subscale of the Comrey Personality Index. Students were divided into four generational groups consisting of Early Immigrants (immigration prior to age 14 years), Late Immigrants (immigration after the age of 14), Second-generation, and Third/Later generation individuals. Results revealed that the Late Immigrant Group experienced the highest stresses and scored lowest on self-esteem and locus of control. Second-generation subjects resembled the Late Immigrants on stress and the personality measures. Interestingly, the scores of Early Immigrants and Third/Later-generation individuals bore a closer resemblance on most of the measures. No significant sex main effects or sex by generation interactions were observed on any of the measures. Discriminant analysis of the stress measure revealed that the best discriminator of generational status was a Cultural/Family Function followed by a Social/Environmental Function. Together both functions correctly classified 91% of the Late Immigrants and 82% of the total subjects into the four generational groups.
Comments on L. M. Dunn's Bilingual Hispanic Children on the U.S. Mainland: A Review of Research on Their Cognitive, Linguistic, and Scholastic Development
Authors: Trueba Henry T.
Published: March 2007

Dunn's arguments are flawed and his conclusions inadequate. The genetic position, which attempts to explain academic differences among students of different ethnolinguistic backgrounds, is scientifically unfounded. The implications of IQ test results must be re-examined in light of socioeconomic and cultural differences in a broader historical perspective; such tests have already been determined biased and inaccurate as measures of ability, even among Anglo students. Dunn appears unaware that many minority group members have done well despite prejudicial educational practices. Historically, xenophobia has strong roots in this country, and Dunn has contributed to increase it. He has taken an arrogant position attempting to give credence to genetic arguments without really understanding genetics or anthropology.
Chicano Clergy and the Emergence of Liberation Theology
Authors: Cadena Gilbert R.
Published: March 2007

This study examines the relationship between Chicano clergy and liberation theology. It is argued that religion can be a significant element in the empowerment of Chicanos, when religious leaders join the side of Chicano laity. Using datafrom a 1986 national study of Chicano Catholic priests and bishops, thefindings show that the respondentsfeel Chicanos do not have an adequate voice in Catholic social policy, the church has discriminated against Chicanos, and the church has not adequately responded to the socialproblemsfacing Chicanos. Many support and have participated in Latino lay movements (i.e., national encuentros, community organizations, and comunidades de base) and pastoral centers (i.e., Mexican American Cultural Center). The results also reveal that the majority of clergy are influenced by liberation theology and accept a U. S. version of liberation theology as an appropriate modelfor Chicanos wishing to bring about both ecclesiastical and social change.
The Use of Formal Helping Networks to Meet the Psychological Needs of the Hispanic Elderly
Authors: Starrett Richard A. , Todd Alicia M. , Decker James T. , Walters Gary
Published: March 2007

Increasing attentioni has beent given to the iden1tificationi alnd description of variables associated with medical ancd social services needed, sou(ght, and u.sed by tihe elderly. LIittle is known, howevet; about those variables that iifluteince thle uIse offormal helping networks (i.e., use agency, couni.selo,; psychologist, doctol; or priest) lo meet the psychological needs of the Hispanic elderly. This stiudvy develops anld evaluates a causal model of formal helpinig network utilization among Hispanic older people. TIhe framework proposed by An1dersenI anid Newman (1973) is u(sed to categorize the variables employed in the study. The netehods of analysis are of multiple regression and palh analysis. The results intdicate that 3 of 19 variables in the mnodel directly affect use. Jointly, the thiree signtificant predictors (i.e., number of psychosocial problems, formal churchi attendance, anid severity of physical illniess) accouit for 18% of the variance in formal helpintg network use. Additionially they act as important medialitig variables in the model.
Effects of Acculturation on Knowledge of AIDS and HIV among Hispanics
Authors: Marin Barbara V. , Marin Gerardo
Published: March 2007

Knowledge about AIDS and HIV transmission was assessed in a representative sample of 460 San Francisco Hispanics to identify the relationship of acculturation to AIDS knowledge. A random-digit-dialing survey using a modified Mitofsky-Waksberg sampling technique was conducted ofHispanics residing in areas of San Francisco with 10% or more Hispanic population. Results indicated generally good knowledge of the true modes of transmission of HIV, but also many erroneous beliefs in "casual" modes of transmission (e.g., public toilets, mosquitoes, sneezes). Acculturation was strongly associated with knowledge, with the less acculturated generally having many more erroneous beliefs about "casual " transmission and being less aware that someone can be infected without looking ill. Acculturation differences persisted even after controlling for education. The data suggest the need for targeted campaigns about AIDS and HIV transmission for less acculturated Spanish-speaking Hispanics.
A Comparison of Latino, Black, and Non-Hispanic White Attitudes Toward Homosexuality
Authors: Bonilla Louis , Porter Judith
Published: March 2007

Latinos, Blacks, and non-Hispanic Whites are compared on two dimensions of attitudes toward homosexxuality utilizing a cumulated file from the General Social Survey. Latinos do not differ from Whites and are more tolerant thati Blacks on the morality dimension of attitudes toward homosexuality but are less tolerant than either of the other groups on the dimension measuring approval of civil liberties for homosexuals. There are no differences in attitudes toward homose-xuality between Mexican Americans and other Latinos. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
Communicating the HIV/AIDS Risk to Hispanic Populations: A Review and Integration
Authors: Yep Gustavo A.
Published: March 2007

The HIV/AIDS epidemic has disproportionately affected Hispanics in the United States. Additionally, HI V/A IDS prevention programsforHispani cs have encountered diffi culties with cultural appropriateness. Using McGuire 's popular communication/persuasion model as a framework the goal of this article is to review and integrate past research on communication factors affecting HIVIAIDS prevention among Hispanics. More specifically, the study has two main objectives: (a) to review research on input variables related to HIV/AIDS prevention in Hispanic populations. In particular, it analyzes past empirical research investigating source, message, channel, and receiverfactors associated with HlVprevention, and (b) to address the implications of the findings on output variables induding design, implementation, and evaluation of culturally appropriate HI V/A1DS prevention campaigns for Hispanic populations.
Differences in the Manifest Dream Content of Mexican, Mexican American, and Anglo American College Women: A Research Note
Authors: Kane Connie M. , Mellen Ronald R. , Patten Pamela , Samano Italo
Published: March 2007

The bicultural development of Mexican-American college women is studied here by comparing the manifest content of their dreams with that of their Mexican national and Anglo-American counterparts. On five of seven measures, Mexican-American women are the median group, demonstrating that they have more in common with each of their counterparts than do the other two with each other. Mexican national women identify significantly more emotions in their dreams than do Anglo Americans, but not significantly more than Mexican Americans. However, Mexican nationals do dream of significantly more experiences of good fortune and misfortune than either of the American groups.
A Model of Cognitive, Cultural, and Linguistic Variables Affecting Bilingual Hispanic Children's Development of Concepts and Language
Authors: Gonzalez Virginia
Published: March 2007

The objective of this study was to construct a model of cognitive, cultural, and linguistic variables influencing bilingual children 's verbal and nonverbal conceptual development. Subjects were 30 Hispanic children, aged 6 to 7, from low-socioeconomic backgrounds. For testing the model, five verbal and nonverbal classification tasks were administered in a counterbalanced order in Spanish and English using food and animal objects as stimuli. Tasks were scored twice based on gender or any other valid criteria for classification (e.g., color; functions, subcategories). Findings revealed that bilingual children construct universal nonverbal and semantic representations influenced by culture and language. The Test of Nonverbal Intelligence and the IDEA Oral Proficiency Test underestimated bilingual children 's development, as they achieved at or above their chronological-developmental levels in classification tasks. Implications for accurately assessing bilingual children's cognitive language development are derived.
Qualitative Research with an Understudied Population: In-Depth Interviews with Women of Mexican Descent
Authors: Sherraden Margaret Sherrard , Barrera Rossana E.
Published: March 2007

Community-based qualitative research offers advantages for study of populations that are understudied and not well understood, but qualitative methodology presents major challenges. This article examines some of these challenges, illustrated by a study of pregnancy and childbearing among women of Mexican descent. Issues addressed in this article include culture and gender relevance, access to the population, representativeness, skilled interviewers, trust with research informants, effective in-depth interviews, and data analysis. Practical applications and implications for theory building are discussed.
The Performance of Latinos in Rural Public Schools: A Comparative Analysis of Test Scores in Grades 3, 6, and 12
Authors: Hampton Steve , Ekboir Javier M. , Rochin Refugio I.
Published: March 2007

Over the lastfew decades, California 's rural communities have experienced a sociodemographic transformation as the percentage of Latinos in these towns increased dramatically. These high concentrations of Latinos are correlated with poverty and low educational achievement. Using multiple regression analysis, this study examines how socioeconomic status, school funding, English proficiency, and Latino concentration affect test scores. This study's major findings are: (a) that the socioeconomic status of parents in rural communities is the primary predictor of academic performance; and (b) that the academic performance of both rural Latinos and Whites improves as Latino concentration increases. This last result is in contrast to previous studies, which have relied on pairwise correlations andfocused on primarily urban populations.
Mexican American and Anglo Single Mothers: The Influence of Ethnicity, Generation, and Socioeconomic Status on Social Support Networks
Authors: Schaffer Diane M. , Wagner Roland M.
Published: March 2007

Differences between Mexican Americans and Anglos on four measures of network morphology were studied using a sample of single mothers in San Jose, California After adjustment for socioeconomic status (SES), ethnic differences remained significant for the total size of the networkandforthedensityofthefriendnetworkbutnotforproportion of kin in the network. Within the MexicanAmerican subsample, after adjustmentfor SES, generation was associated with significant and nonlinear differences in the proportion of kin and the size of the friend network Implications are discussedfor understanding discrepant results in the body of research on ethnic differences in network morphology and for methodological requirements forfurther inquiry in this area.
Determinants of Hispanic Poverty in the Course of the Transition to Adulthood
Authors: Padilia Yolanda C.
Published: March 2007

The poverty rate among Hispanicfamilies is greater than 25%, a rate almost three times as high as that of non-Hispanic Whites. Yet, despite the data on the extent of poverty, we know little about the processes that result in poverty among Hispanics. This study examines the conditions during the transition to adulthood that affect the probability of poverty among this population. Based on data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, the study shows that factors associated with the socioeconomic resources of the family of origin and individual aptitude at the adolescent stage, as well as educational and migration decisions made in the course of the transition to adulthood, influence the risk offalling into poverty in young adulthood. On the other hand, although adolescent background is important, the unique placement of young adults in the current labor market also structures their poverty outcomes.
Hispanic and African American Reactions to a Simulated Race-Based Affirmative Action Scenario
Authors: Stanush Pamela , Arthur Winfred , Doverspike Dennis
Published: March 2007

The present study investigated the affective responses of 169 Hispanic and 196 African American participants to a simulated selection decision involving race-based affirmative action. Type of implementation procedure and qualification of beneficiary were manipulated in the simulated scenario, and subjects'affective reactions, perceptions offairness and competence, and feelings of stigmatization were measured. Strong effects were obtainedfor the recipient qualification and affirmative action procedure manipulations. Race differences (AfricanAmerican vs. Hispanic) on the majority of dependent variables were not significant. The present study demonstrated that as long as minority group members did not feel they were less qualified than other applicants, the negative consequences of being preferentially selected were muted.
Concerns and Misconceptions about Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors: A Focus Group Evaluation with Low-Income Hispanic Women
Authors: Mein Sinda , Winkleby Marilyn A.
Published: March 2007

Fivefocus groups were conducted with Hispanic women (primarily of Mexican American heritage) from low-income neighborhoods in San Jose, California, to learn about their knowledge of cardiovascular disease (CVD) riskfactors, the relative importance of risk factors, and ideas about effective CVD risk-reduction programs. Despite language barriers and economic disadvantages, women were highly aware of heart disease and described it as a health priority. However, they articulated many misconceptions about CVD and experienced multiple barriers to healthy lifestyles. The most frequently mentioned risk factor was poor nutrition, especially high dietary fat (mentioned 543 times). The next most frequently mentioned risk factors were physical inactivity (127 times), obesity (86 times), and smoking (78 times). Few women viewed CVD as a progressive, chronic process; few associated obesity with heart disease; andfew emphasized the importance of hypertension and diabetes as primary CVD risk factors.
The Impact of Acculturation on Attitudinal Familism in a Community of Puerto Rican Americans
Authors: Rodnrguez Julian Montoro , Kosloski Karl
Published: March 2007

The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between acculturation and familism in a samnple of 182 Hispanics of Puerto Rican descent. Exploratory factor analysis was used to establish the multidimensionality of each construct. Consistent with earlier studies, three dimensions of acculturation and familism were identified. Each dimension offamilism was then regressed on a set of explanatory variables that included three dimensions of acculturation. For two dimensions offamilism (familial obligations and support from relatives), acculturation was positively related to familism; for the other dimension (family as referents), the relationship was nonsignificant. In explaining variance in attitudinal familism, the results suggest that acculturation may be better represented as a single, second-orderfactor In interpreting the findings in the context of previous research, however; it is useful to treat acculturation as a multidimensional construct.
Never Hold a Pencil
Authors: DUFFY JOHN
Published: March 2007

The category of preliterate has been applied to cultures in which reading and writing practices are said to be nonexistent or restricted. This article argues that preliterate can be understood as a rhetoric or a socially constructive narrative (a) that devalues the cultures and peoples to whom it is applied by situating them within a 19th-century narrative of primitiveness and (b) that mystifies understandings of how literacy develops by representing the absence of literacy as an expression of inherent cultural values rather than an outcome of relationships among cultures of unequal power. This article considers the case of the Hmong of Laos, a people commonly described as preliterate, to illustrate that the widespread absence of written language in Hmong culture is not an expression of cultural values but an outcome of Hmong relationships with the Chinese, French, and Laotian governments and the United States Central Intelligence Agency during the Vietnam War.
“Let the Youths Beware!”
Authors: PITCOCK RONALD L.
Published: March 2007

This article explores literacy sponsorship at an early 19th-century academy that schooled young Native American men near Lexington, Kentucky. In doing so, it presents two case studies based on the correspondence of J. N. Bourassa (Potawatomi) and Adam Nail (Choctaw), both advanced students at the academy who turned their literacy lessons toward a critique of their living and learning conditions. In examining their letters to federal authorities, it is possible to discern how the students moved beyond the limited literacy sponsored by the academy to embrace liberatory practices reserved by the White elites who managed the institution.
Cognitive Components of Blocking
Authors: BOICE ROBERT
Published: March 2007

Sixty subjects, 40 of them blockers, provided over 5000 examples of self-talk accompanying the initiation and completion of writing sessions. An inductive procedure of sorting those thought-list cards into reliable and discrete categories produced 7 cognitive components of blocking (listed in descending order of importance): (1) work apprehension, (2) procrastination, (3) dysphoria, (4) impatience, (5) perfectionism, (6) evaluation anxiety, and (7) rules. Blockers were more likely than nonblockers to list negative thoughts and less likely to evidence “psych-up” thoughts during writing sessions.
The Composing Process of College Students Writing from Sources
Authors: KENNEDY MARY LYNCH
Published: March 2007

This protocol study identifies college readers' purposeful behaviors when writing from sources, determines whether these behaviors cluster at identifiable stages in the reading-writing process, and determines whether proficient and less able readers' processes are the same. The results showed that the subjects did not approach the task of writing from sources in the same way. All subjects referred to the reading sources as they composed, but they consulted them at different points in the reading-writing process. Overall the better readers engaged in more planning than the less able group. Findings show strong associations between reading level and use of study-skill reading strategies, postreading-prewriting strategies, and composing strategies.
Writing, Jargon, and Research
Authors: GREEN DAVID W.
Published: March 2007

Two hypotheses are outlined about the reasons for obscurity in expository writing. Neither accounts adequately for the general results of an exploratory study of the writing of postgraduates nor for the individual cases I present by way of illustration. A crucial factor, I suggest, is a person's implicit model of expository writing. Many of our subjects assume that the purpose of technical writing is to compress thought. I argue, on the contrary, that clarity is achieved through expansion.