bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vita Contemplativa: A Life in Part
Authors: Clegg Stewart R.
Published: January 2005

Life, art and science are irremediably intertwined: how, where and with whom one shares the brief moments of existence necessarily affect what one thinks, how one writes, and what one will address. Being a scholar is a vocation, as Weber knew only too well, in which science, ethics and art blend; sometimes seamlessly, sometimes not. None who live an intellectual and public life are immune to the normal glosses of the sociology of knowledge and this paper provides glimpses, through a personal lens, of what such a gloss might see. It is a glimpse of a life still living and lived; an artist still at work, an agenda still being developed, frozen like a snapshot of an instant - and just as representative. Can a snapshot capture an essence? Sometimes. Whether this does is left to others to judge.
Organizational Commitment and Person-Environment Fit in Six Western Countries
Authors: Hult Carl
Published: January 2005

The connection between work environment and organizational commitment (OC) is investigated and compared across six western countries, using data from the 1997 International Social Survey Program (ISSP) . Differences in work environment are examined on two levels: (1) with reference to theoretical literature and empirical findings in comparative research and (2) with reference to how individuals perceive their workplace situation in relation to their personal evaluations of different workplace features (person-environment fit). Although no connection between work environment and OC is found when countries are compared on the basis of literature on the differences in the organization of production, the connection proves to be salient with respect to individual and group levels. The result suggests that the most important factor for OC in all countries is a job that the individual finds interesting. A control for job satisfaction makes it clear that the effect of finding the work interesting is independent of satisfaction with work. Other similarities and differences between the countries are also identified and discussed. New avenues for further comparative research are suggested.
How the Trivialization of the Demands of High-Tech Care in the Home is Turning Family Members Into Para-Medical Personnel
Authors: Guberman Nancy , Gagnon Éric , Côté Denyse , Gilbert Claude , Thivièrge Nicole , Tremblay Marielle
Published: January 2005

This study analyzes the transfer of specialized professional activities from health care workers to patients and their family members in the context of the shift to ambulatory care for acute and chronic illnesses requiring hospitalization. Based on 119 semidirective interviews with patients released from hospital after early discharge and/or with the family members caring for them, and based on 26 focus groups and 9 individual interviews with health care professionals from hospitals and home care agencies in five regions of the province of Québec, this article raises the issue of the trivialization of professional care which underlies this transfer. This article also examines two stages in this trivialization: the preparation for discharge and the transfer of specialized activities. Theoretical and empirical implications include the need to better understand how health care workers support this transfer through a process of trivialization and the implications of this transfer for patients and their families.
How Work Affects Divorce
Authors: Poortman Anne-Rigt
Published: January 2005

This study examines whether the financial and time pressures associated with spouses’ working lives play a role in the relation between work and divorce during the first years of marriage. Using retrospective data from the Netherlands, the results show that divorce is more likely when the husband works on average fewer hours and the wife more hours during the first years of marriage. Furthermore, couples facing more financial problems and those spending less time together have a higher divorce risk. The findings partly support the hypothesis that greater financial strains are responsible for the higher divorce risk when husbands work fewer hours. About 15% of the higher divorce risk of husbands working fewer hours is explained by the resulting greater financial strains. No support is found for the hypothesis that the higher divorce risk of women who work more hours is due to a decrease in marital interaction time.
Lack of behavioural effects after acute tyrosine depletion in healthy volunteers
Authors: Lythe K. E. , Anderson I. M. , Deakin J. F. W. , Elliott R. , Strickland P. L.
Published: January 2005

Acute dietary tyrosine depletion has previously been shown to reduce dopamine neurotransmission in both animals and humans. In this study, we investigated the effects of brain dopamine depletion, through acute tyrosine and phenylalanine depletion, on plasma prolactin, mood and neuropsychological function in 12 normal subjects. In a randomized, double-blind, cross-over design, subjects received two amino-acid drinks separated by a week, a nutritionally balanced mixture (Bal) and on the other occasion a tyrosine and phenylalanine deficient mixture (TP-). The plasma ratio of tyrosine and phenylalanine to the other large neutral amino acids decreased significantly on the TP-occasion (-78.7%, p < 0.0001) and there was an increase in plasma prolactin concentration relative to the balanced drink in the seven subjects for whom results were available for both occasions ( p < 0.02). Acute tyrosine depletion did not alter mood as measured by visual analogue scale ratings, and measures of memory, attention and behavioural inhibition were also unaffected. Our results are consistent with acute dietary tyrosine depletion causing a reduction in brain dopamine neurotransmission but raise questions about how robust or consistent the effects are on psychological function.
Specific serotonergic reuptake inhibition impairs vigilance performance acutely and after subchronic treatment
Authors: Riedel Wim J. , Eikmans Karin , Heldens Annet , Schmitt Jeroen A. J.
Published: January 2005

Subchronic treatment with the selective serotonergic reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) fluoxetine, venlafaxine and paroxetine, but not sertraline, were previously shown to specifically impair vigilance performance. The current study was designed to compare the vigilance effects of subchronic treatment with the SSRIs sertraline and citalopram in healthy volunteers, according to a placebo-controlled, double-blind, three-way cross-over design. Twenty-four healthy subjects, aged 30-50 years, of whom 21 completed the study, underwent three treatment periods of 2 weeks in which they received sertraline (50 mg on days 1-8, 100 mg on days 8-15), citalopram (20 mg on days 1-8, 40 mg on days 8-15) and placebo. Treatment periods were separated by 14 days washout periods. Vigilance performance was assessed through a 45-min Mackworth Clock Test at days 1, 8 and 15 of each treatment period. It was found that citalopram impaired vigilance performance acutely after the first 20 mg dose and subchronically after 40 mg daily doses. By contrast, no vigilance impairment was found during sertraline treatment. Sertraline is the only SSRI studied so far with no detrimental effects on vigilance. This may be due to the affinity of sertraline for the dopamine reuptake site. Because citalopram is the most specific SSRI showing this effect, it is concluded that the SSRI-induced decrement of vigilance performance is specifically associated with serotonergic reuptake inhibition.
Noradrenergic blockade and numeric working memory in humans
Authors: Müller Ulrich , Mottweiler Elisabeth , Bublak Peter
Published: January 2005

To investigate the noradrenergic modulation of working memory in humans single doses of two β-blockers [either 25 mg of propranolol (lipophilic) or 50 mg of atenolol (hydrophilic)] or placebo were administered to young healthy volunteers (16 subjects per drug condition) performing a numerical working memory task that requires either short-term maintenance or maintenance plus manipulation of visually presented four-number sequences. Higher manipulation costs (i.e. process-specific slowing of reaction times in the manipulation conditions compared to the control condition) were observed after propranolol but not after atenolol. The propranolol effect was mainly observed in subjects with low emotional arousal (i.e. low state anxiety rating at baseline). Because both β-blockers induced a comparable decrease of blood pressure and pulse, the propranolol effect on the ‘working component’ of working memory is considered to be a central, presumably prefrontal one.
Sulpiride and mnemonic function: effects of a dopamine D2 receptor antagonist on working memory, emotional memory and long-term memory in healthy volunteers
Authors: Mehta Mitul A. , Hinton Elanor C. , Montgomery Andrew J. , Bantick R. Alexander , Grasby Paul M.
Published: January 2005

There is now substantial evidence from animal studies showing modulation of cognitive performance after administration of dopaminergic agents. Previous studies have focused on cognitive functions such as working memory (WM), with particular reference to spatial processing. However, to date, studies in normal human volunteers have proved inconsistent. We have therefore tested the effects of the dopamine D2 receptor antagonist sulpiride (400 mg) on WM and learning tasks, including those using auditory, spatial or non-spatial stimuli. A further aim was to explore a broader role of the dopaminergic system in mnemonic function by examining long-term and emotional memory. Eighteen healthy male participants were given a battery of cognitive tests after oral sulpiride or placebo, using the cross-over design. WM was assessed using a spatial searching task, and a task of auditory counting with distraction. Tasks that did not emphasize WM were spatial and non-spatial trial-and-error learning, long-term spatial memory and emotional memory. After dopamine D2 receptor blockade, performance was not impaired on the spatial WM (SWM) task, but was impaired on the auditory counting task with distraction. Sulpiride did not impair, but rather appeared to enhance trial-and-error learning overall. Thus, we were unable to support the notion that dopaminergic modulation preferentially influences spatial over non-spatial processing during learning. In addition, recognition was impaired in the emotional memory task after encoding on drug compared to placebo. These findings question the precise role of dopamine D2 receptor modulation on WM, and highlight the need for sensitive tests to study dopaminergic modulation of emotional processing.
Sex differences in cortisol response to reboxetine
Authors: Tse Wai S. , Bond Alyson J.
Published: January 2005

This study examined the cortisol response to reboxetine in a sample of healthy men and women. Forty healthy volunteers were randomly allocated to one of two treatment groups: placebo or 4 mg reboxetine under double-blind conditions. Saliva cortisol was measured pre, 1 and 1.5 h post-treatment. Mood and side-effects were also measured. A single oral dose of 4 mg reboxetine did not affect positive or negative mood but did produce some side-effects. It was also sufficient to increase cortisol release 1.5 h post-treatment compared to placebo. In addition, reboxetine lead to a significantly increased cortisol release in male compared to female volunteers. The results suggest that healthy male volunteers are more responsive to challenge with a noradrenergic compound than females.
Oral risperidone with lorazepam versus oral zuclopenthixol with lorazepam in the treatment of acute psychosis in emergency psychiatry: a prospective, comparative, open-label study
Authors: Hovens J. E. , Dries P. J. T. , Melman C. T. M. , Wapenaar R. J. C. , Loonen A. J. M.
Published: January 2005

Acutely psychotic patients presenting as psychiatric emergencies with aggression or agitation are often administered conventional antipsychotics intramuscularly. However, patients view intramuscular administration as coercive, and conventional antipsychotics are often associated with adverse events. In this open study, consecutive adult patients presenting with an acute exacerbation of schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder were assigned to oral risperidone 2-6 mg/day ( n = 48) or oral zuclopenthixol 20-50 mg/day ( n = 27) for 7-14 days. Lorazepam (either oral or intramuscular) was administered to both groups as needed. Patients were assessed regularly until day 14 or discharge. Mean Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) aggression scores (sum of item scores on excitement, poor impulse control, hostility and uncooperativeness) decreased steadily and similarly in both groups; the mean changes from baseline were statistically significant at days 10 and 14 and at study end-point. The mean decrease at study end-point in the PANSS component score for hostility was statistically significant in the risperidone group, but not in the zuclopenthixol group. Social Dysfunction and Aggression Scale aggression scores and Clinical Global Impression scores decreased significantly and similarly in both groups. Overall, 18.7% of patients showed minor extrapyramidal symptoms during the study, but only 16.7% of risperidone-treated patients, compared to 59.3% of zuclopenthixol-treated patients, received anti-parkinsonian medication ( p< 0.001). Lorazepam was administered to all of the patients assigned to risperidone and to 89% of those assigned to zuclopenthixol. Oral risperidone plus lorazepam is a convenient, effective and well-tolerated alternative to conventional antipsychotics for the treatment of acute psychosis in emergency psychiatry.
Treatment of depression: time to consider folic acid and vitamin B12
Authors: Coppen Alec , Bolander-Gouaille Christina
Published: January 2005

We review the findings in major depression of a low plasma and particularly red cell folate, but also of low vitamin B12 status. Both low folate and low vitamin B12 status have been found in studies of depressive patients, and an association between depression and low levels of the two vitamins is found in studies of the general population. Low plasma or serum folate has also been found in patients with recurrent mood disorders treated by lithium. A link between depression and low folate has similalrly been found in patients with alcoholism. It is interesting to note that Hong Kong and Taiwan populations with traditional Chinese diets (rich in folate), including patients with major depression, have high serum folate concentrations. However, these countries have very low life time rates of major depression. Low folate levels are furthermore linked to a poor response to antidepressants, and treatment with folic acid is shown to improve response to antidepressants. A recent study also suggests that high vitamin B12 status may be associated with better treatment outcome. Folate and vitamin B12 are major determinants of one-carbon metabolism, in which S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) is formed. SAM donates methyl groups that are crucial for neurological function. Increased plasma homocysteine is a functional marker of both folate and vitamin B12 deficiency. Increased homocysteine levels are found in depressive patients. In a large population study from Norway increased plasma homocysteine was associated with increased risk of depression but not anxiety. There is now substantial evidence of a common decrease in serum/red blood cell folate, serum vitamin B12 and an increase in plasma homocysteine in depression. Furthermore, the MTHFR C677T polymorphism that impairs the homocysteine metabolism is shown to be overrepresented among depressive patients, which strengthens the association. On the basis of current data, we suggest that oral doses of both folic acid (800 µg daily) and vitamin B12 (1 mg daily) should be tried to improve treatment outcome in depression.
Chronic tolerance to recreational MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) or Ecstasy
Authors: Parrott A. C.
Published: January 2005

This review of chronic tolerance to MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymetamphetamine) covers the empirical data on dosage escalation, reduced subjective efficacy and bingeing in recreational Ecstasy users. Novice users generally take a single Ecstasy tablet, regular users typically take 2-3 tablets, whereas the most experienced users may take 10-25 tablets in a single session. Reduced subjective efficacy following repeated usage is typically described, with many users subjectively reporting the development of tolerance. Intensive self-administration or bingeing is often noted by experienced users. This can comprise ‘stacking’ on several tablets together, and ‘boosting’ on successive doses over an extended period. Some experienced users snort Ecstasy powder nasally, whereas a small minority inject MDMA. Chronic tolerance and bingeing are statistically linked to higher rates of drug-related psychobiological problems. In terms of underlying mechanisms, neuroadaptive processes are certainly involved, but there is a paucity of evidence on hepatic and behavioural mechanisms. Further studies specifically designed to investigate chronic tolerance, involving low intermittent dose regimens, are required. Most animal research has involved intensive MDMA dosing regimens designed to engender serotonergic neurotoxicity, and this may comprise another underlying mechanism. If distal serotonin axon terminal loss was also developing in recreational users, it may help to explain why reducing subjective efficacy, dosage escalation and increasing psychobiological problems often develop in parallel. In conclusion, there is extensive evidence for chronic pharmacodynamic tolerance to recreational Ecstasy/MDMA, but the underlying mechanisms are currently unclear. Several traditional processes are probably involved, but one of the possible causes is a novel mechanism largely unique to the ring substituted amphetamine derivatives, namely serotonergic neurotoxicity.
Successful treatment of refractory schizophrenia with combined olanzapine and quetiapine in a patient with a prolactin secreting pituitary microadenoma
Authors: Dunkley Melanie J. , Reveley Michael A.
Published: January 2005

Treatment-resistant schizophrenia presents a particular problem in patients who, for whatever reason, cannot be treated with clozapine. Pharmacological strategies for the further management of such individuals usually involve the coadministration of two or more antipsychotic drugs, leading to an increased potential for adverse effects. Hyperprolactinaemia (elevation of serum prolactin levels) is a common side-effect of antipsychotics and one that it is especially important to minimize in patients with primary pituitary pathology. We present a patient with treatment resistant schizophrenia and a prolactin-secreting microadenoma of the pituitary who was intolerant of clozapine therapy. She was prescribed a combination of olanzapine and quetiapine and experienced almost complete resolution of her psychosis, with no elevation of serum prolactin levels. We suggest that this may be a strategy worthy of consideration in patients for whom conventional treatment methods have failed, particularly those who are sensitive to the prolactinogenic effects of many antipsychotic medications.
Introduction
Authors: Piettre Renée Koch
Published: January 2005

What is true of the natural and biological heritage is also the case with cultural diversity: efforts to conserve national languages, rites and traditions are swept along by the rising tide of globalization. But at the same time fashions come and go, buildings rise out of the ground, theories are constructed, new techniques result in hitherto unknown lifestyles. The cultural patchwork is like a shifting kaleidoscope. Of course this does not prevent losses from seeming to accelerate more rapidly than new creations, so that laws have become necessary to put a brake on these destructive developments.
The Concept of Religion in China and the West
Authors: Goossaert Vincent
Published: January 2005

The religious question in China is not limited to the contemporary tensions between the Catholic and Protestant churches and the Beijing regime, the repression suffered by Tibetan Buddhists or Uighur Muslims and the problems associated with so-called ‘sectarian’ movements. Though these issues are very important and worthy of interest in themselves, they have to be understood in a wider context which takes in the totality of religious realities in China, including those we in the West do not see because they fall outside our representations of what is religious. Furthermore, the contemporary religious question assumes meaning only if we consider all the struggles between the Chinese state and society's religious structures since the end of the 19 th century. In another publication I have sketched out the modern history of relations between the Chinese state and the religious structures of the society. Here I should like to show the importance of the concept of religion itself and of the controversies around it in the history of those conflicting relations. We shall see that the concepts, such as religion, used in the humanities and social sciences have consequences that go far beyond the context of academic debates and can help to feed repression and social conflict.
Paul and the Athens Epicureans: Between Polytheisms, Atheisms and Monotheisms
Authors: Piettre Renée Koch
Published: January 2005

The New Testament episode of Paul's encounter with the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers of Athens, in chapter 17 of the Acts of the Apostles (vv. 16-34), illuminates the relationship between early Christianity and its intellectual and religious environment in the Roman empire. Here Paul the Apostle is in fact forced to explain his message in terms he attempts to make comprehensible for an audience of educated Athenians, in accordance with what he thinks he knows about that audience. At least that is how Luke, the writer of the Acts, tries to describe the episode, at which he was apparently not himself present.
The Buddhist Refusal of Theism
Authors: Kapstein Matthew T.
Published: January 2005

In a celebrated discourse, a seeker of spiritual truth, Malunkyaputta, demands that the Buddha resolve his doubts concerning contested metaphysical matters before accepting the Buddha's teaching, which is intended to secure deliverance from suffering. He wants to know, for instance, whether the universe exists perpetually or not, whether the body and the living soul are identical or not, and whether the enlightened sage survives after death or not. In response, the Buddha presents a parable in which he asks Malunkyaputta to consider the condition of a man who has been wounded by an arrow and now requires the services of a surgeon in order to save his life. In these circumstances, does the man wish to do all that is possible so that the surgeon may succeed at his task, or does he first wish to resolve his doubts regarding the reasons for his wound? Who shot the arrow? and why? Was the act deliberate or accidental? Was the archer old or young? So many questions to ask! Should the man wait until he has all the answers he wants, or should he just let the surgeon get on with his work?
‘Standing Upright Before the Heavens’: Metamorphoses of Customary Christianity
Authors: Charuty Giordana
Published: January 2005

In what sense can we call western European societies ‘Christian’ when for two centuries, at admittedly very uneven rates and with more or less violent conflicts, a general process of secularization has been moving their citizens away from confessional allegiance or non-allegiance, institutionalizing pluralism of religious or philosophical ‘opinions’ and defining legitimate forms for their expression in the public space? By emphasizing the cultural dimension of Christianity rather than its aspect as a dogmatic institution divided into rival confessions and churches, structuralist anthropology revealed the prominence, within local rural or urban societies, of symbolic logics in which it was possible to identify the working of a thinking and mode of transmission - a ‘Christian custom’ - adapted to the changes in the hierarchical relations between clerical competences and civil society. Creating and ordering the world, constructing the person and imagining a destiny after death, mobilizing a number of supernatural mediators in an economy of incarnation and redemption: all these subjects of dogmatic pronouncement and theological speculation are being tested, not only in the teaching, rites and acts of devotion prescribed or tolerated by the church but equally through naturalist or technical knowledge and social practices which are a priori alien to the domain of ‘religion’. In the same way practices ensuring regular exchanges between living and dead as social beings are not restricted to funeral customs and their political ramifications. Narrative traditions and votive practices that are part of the homage paid to patron saints, bonds of spiritual kinship, dream experiences and games of chance: ethnographic exploration of these heterogeneous areas of social life has become necessary in order to restore the coherence, not so much of a salvation religion as of a system of reciprocal obligations that gives substance, in its own way, to the doctrinal inventions of Christian eschatology.
Reflections on Cultural Diversity
Authors: Wiredu Kwasi
Published: January 2005

By popular definition, a human being is a rational biped. What this means is not that all human beings are actually rational all the time. That would be false, since many human beings are demonstrably irrational some of the time. What it means is only that a human being has the capacity to be rational. This minimal qualification, however, has tremendous implications. It implies, for example, that we (human beings) are capable of learning from our experience of the environment and of adjusting, or trying to adjust, our behavior to the constraints of that experience. Now the environment is of two basic types. There is a natural and there is a social environment. The constraints of the natural environment arise from our contact with physical objects and forces. In terms of detail, different peoples react differently to the environment, but in basic essentials, there is only one human way of doing this. And that is the pursuit of survival and well-being through action on the basis of perception and inference. From the standpoint of cognitive biology, then, there is a basic way of being in the world. That is to say, there is a basic culture common to all human beings.
Tragedy and Counter-Politics
Authors: Lambropoulos Vassilis
Published: January 2005

This article discusses aesthetic counter-politics in the early 20th century through an examination of the idea of tragedy in culture and metaphysics.
The Impact of Violence on Urban Adolescents
Authors: Ozer Emily J.
Published: January 2005

This longitudinal school-based study examined school connection and family support as protective factors for adolescent mental health in the context of exposure to violence. After controlling for seventh grade functioning, recent exposure to violence uniquely predicted worsening of functioning from seventh to eighth grade across multiple self- and teacher-reported measures including self-reported internalizing symptoms, self-reported aggression, and teacher-reported competencies. Adolescents who felt more connected to school showed decreased psychological problems from seventh to eighth grade. Perceived school connection, however, did not moderate the relationship between exposure to violence and psychological functioning. Findings highlighted family support as a moderator of the relationship between exposure to violence and adolescent mental health. Implications for interventions to promote healthier adolescent functioning under stress are discussed.
Risk Taking as Developmentally Appropriate Experimentation for College Students
Authors: Dworkin Jodi
Published: January 2005

Researchers have suggested that experimentation may be a necessary, constructive component of identity formation. However, these researchers have also noted the paradox of risk taking; an individual may experience both positive and negative precursors and consequences of risk taking. The present investigation used qualitative methods to explore the personal meaning of experimentation behaviors and of this paradox to college students. A stratified sample of 12 community college students (6 female) and 20 university students (10 female) was interviewed. Data were analyzed using grounded theory methods. Students described a deliberate and functional process of experimenting with a variety of risk behaviors. This included articulating the ways in which the college culture promotes participation in risk behaviors as developmentally appropriate experimentation.
What Does Democracy Mean?
Authors: Flanagan Constance A. , Gallay Leslie S. , Gill Sukhdeep , Gallay Erin , Nti Naana
Published: January 2005

The open-ended responses of 701 7th to 12th graders to the question “What does democracy mean to you?” were analyzed. In logistic regressions, age, parental education, political discussions, and participation in extracurricular activities distinguished youth who could define democracy (53%) from those who could not. Case clustering revealed three emphases in youths’ definitions: individual rights (30%), representative rule (40%), and civic equality (30%). These clusters did not vary by parental education or ethnicity, but several values that youth endorsed varied by parental education. Controlling for parental education, there were significant differences in adolescents’ reports of familial and personal values in the three clusters. Scheffe tests revealed that the equality cluster endorsed less materialism than other clusters, more environmental responsibility than the individual rights cluster, and more social responsibility than the representative rule cluster. In contrast, the individual rights cluster was most likely to report that social vigilance was emphasized in their families.
An Uncaptive Mind
Authors: Michnik Adam
Published: January 2005

This brief article is a discussion of the life and work of Czeslaw Milosz, a recently deceased, well-known Polish poet and dissident political figure. The author discusses his legacy and significance for the Polish generation of dissidents, as well as his personal encounter with the great poet.
Australian and New Zealand University Students’ Participation in International Exchange Programs
Authors: Daly Amanda J. , Barker Michelle C.
Published: January 2005

International education exchange is a growing phenomenon. In 2000, there were an estimated 1.8 million students studying in countries other than their own. Subsequently, there has been an increase in research relating to student exchange programs, although much of this work remains unpublished and has focused on the issues surrounding American and European students. Therefore, this article investigates Australian and New Zealand university international exchange programs and considers the personal characteristics of students that may influence such rates. Overall, the findings of this study show that despite greater government focus on internationalization and student exchange opportunities, very few Australian and New Zealand students participate in student exchange programs. There is a need for future research to consider the issues surrounding student participation, including personality and social factors influencing the decision-making process and the impact of the exchange experience.
Wine Is for Drinking, Water Is for Washing: Student Opinions About International Exchange Programs
Authors: Van Hoof Hubert B. , Verbeeten Marja J.
Published: January 2005

This article reports on a study done among students who participated in student exchange programs, both in the United States and other parts of the world, between January 2001 and May 2003. Issues such as why students decide to study abroad, why they select a certain institution, how their home institution compares to a partner institution abroad, and what they consider to be the relevance of their international experience were investigated. Students agreed with the literature on the topic to a large extent and were very positive about the experience. Some interesting differences of opinion between incoming (to United States) and outgoing (from United States) students were observed.
China’s Global Bridging: The Transformation of University Mobility Between Hong Kong and the United States
Authors: Postiglione Gerard A.
Published: January 2005

Despite its size and great distance from the Chinese capital, Hong Kong has long served as China’s bridge in international educational exchange. It is not only the cradle of the Chinese tradition of crossing the Pacific to study in America, but it has continually refined its role as changes occurred on the mainland. This is especially true during the past quarter century when many students left China for study in the United States. While the mainland was sending talent across the Pacific, Hong Kong reaped the benefit of educational exchange in the opposite direction, attracting large numbers of academic staff to its rapidly expanding university system, resulting in a gradual transformation of academic culture.
Municipal Service Provision Choices within a Metropolitan Area
Authors: Joassart-Marcelli Pascale , Musso Juliet
Published: January 2005

The authors investigate the decision of municipal governments to out source the provision of public services during the 1980s and 1990s—a period of increased responsibility for municipalities. This study extends previous empirical work on outsourcing by distinguishing the type of outsourcing used (e.g., public, private, or other types of providers) and treating the out sourcing decision as a dynamic choice. Institutional characteristics and fiscal stress are found to play an important role in explaining service choices. Multinomial logistic regressions indicate that outsourcing was more common for poor cities than for wealthier ones, with the former often relying on government agencies and the latter opting for privatization. Throughout time, these choices are likely to reinforce interjurisdictional patterns of disparity in service quality and costs.
Re-Placing the Nation
Authors: Sellers Jefferey M.
Published: January 2005

As the world becomes more urbanized and the significance of governance and politics within cities and regions grows, comparative urban analysis has an increasingly prominent role to play in the comparative study of politics and policy. Realizing this potential requires a conceptualization of national institutions, societies, and cultures that does justice to both the persistence of the national and the influence of local and regional agents and structures. At the same time that comparative urban political analysis must separate out local agency from national institutions, it must also take account of the role that national elements play in local agency. The de-centered analysis that results departs from traditional nation-centered comparisons as well as from those centered solely on urban actors and institutions. With the growth of transnational influences, this type of analysis offers an increasingly appropriate way to scrutinize the politics of both countries and urban regions.
Social stratification patterns in adolescents’ active sports participation behaviour: a time trend analysis 1969-1999
Authors: Scheerder Jeroen , Vanreusel Bart , Taks Marijke , Renson Roland
Published: January 2005

The purpose of this study was to examine (a) whether adolescents’ leisure-time sports participation is socially stratified, and (b) whether possible stratification patterns have changed over the last decades. The population for the study consisted of four random samples of high school boys and girls in Flanders who were exposed to a standardized questionnaire in 1969, 1979, 1989 or 1999. The results indicated that social back ground variables remain relevant to analyse constraints on leisure-time sports participation. Parental sports participation, gender and school programme still deter mine the respondents’ active involvement in sports. The impact of gender and school programme has intensified during the last decade. On the other hand, the adoles cents’ sports participation is no longer correlated with the socioeconomic status of the parents. Some explanations are discussed for linking the adolescents’ sports participation behaviour to the respondents’ social background.
‘Role models’ among elite young male rugby league players in Britain
Authors: Fleming Scott , Hardman Alun , Jones Carwyn , Sheridan Heather
Published: January 2005

There is a taken-for-granted acceptance that sports stars have responsibilities as ‘role models’, yet the concept of a ‘role model’ is unclear. The present study addressed the choice of ‘role models’ amongst elite young British rugby league players, and the reasons for their choices. During the summer of 2002 under-13 and under-14 participants of regional training camps ( N = 291) completed a questionnaire survey. Almost all indicated that they had a ‘favourite player’ - though some were not current rugby league players. The most frequently cited were all senior international players, and many had on-field leadership experience. Analysis of the reasons for the choices revealed important general dimensions of technical competence, decision-making, physical characteristics, (explicit reference to) ‘role models’ and temperament. These provided the basis for a preliminary explanatory model. This particular cohort of young players demonstrated broad consensus and were able to make clear judgements through nuanced understandings of the game.
Cross-cultural validation of stages of exercise change scale among Chinese college students
Authors: Keating Xiaofen D. , Guan Jianmin , Huang Yong , Deng Mingying , Wu Yifeng , Qu Shuhua
Published: January 2005

The purpose of the study was to test the cross-cultural concurrent validity of the stages of exercise change scale (SECS) in Chinese college students. The original SECS was translated into Chinese (C-SECS). Students from four Chinese universities ( N = 1843) participated in the study. The leisure-time exercise (LTE) questionnaire was used to provide data to test the concurrent validation of the C-SECS. Results indicated an increase in total LTE across the five stages of exercise changes. This study provided evidence of C-SECS cross-cultural concurrent validity.
Ethical tourism: An opportunity for competitive advantage?
Authors: Weeden Clare
Published: January 2005

An an industry, tourism is considered the world’s largets and most important,1 each year carrying millions of international travelers around the world.2 The UK tour operations industry is dominated by mainstream operators offering a high volume of low-priced holidays. Alongside the mass market exists a specialist operator industry that, in order to sustain competitiveness, offers niche products. One such product, ethical tourism, has grown in prominence over the past decade, and this paper seeks to establish whether specialist tour operators consider ethical tourism to be niche market opportunity. It will explore the concept of ethical tourism, examine specialist operators’ perceptions of consumer demand for ethical holidays and determine the essential attributes for ethical operators in this specialist field. Conclusions will be drawn as to whether specialist operators providing ethical tourism believe they can gain competitie advantage at a premium price.
CFD Study of the Thermal Environment around a Human Body: A Review
Authors: Gao N. P. , Niu J. L.
Published: January 2005

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of thermal manikins can provide detailed information which it is impossible to obtain from experiments. In this review several issues from CFD studies of thermal manikins are discussed, such as geometric complexity of computational thermal manikins (CTMs), selection of turbulence models, grid generation and boundary conditions. Calculation of CTMs with simple geometry requires less computational resource but a more anthropomorphic geometry can provide more accurate results. In the simulations using complex geometric representations of the human body the computational domain is discretised by body-fitted co-ordinates or unstructured grids. The total number of cells can reach the quantitative magnitude of 1 million. The simulation results about airflow field, radiative and convective heat transfer and contaminant distribution from different researchers are compared. Further developments in the use of these simulations are proposed.
Investigation of Damage and Microclimate Deterioration Caused by Dampness in the Palace of Signatories to the Declaration of Independence
Authors: Ignatavičius Č. , Ignatavičius G.
Published: January 2005

Two years after reconstruction work, the microclimate in the basement of the Palace of Signatories to the Declaration of Independence in Lithuania has deteriorated. Excess moisture has caused salt efflorescence, staining of the exterior walls and ceilings and spread of an unpleasant smell throughout the building. Tests showed that damp-proofing of the basement exterior walls was inadequate. In 1 area, water removed through storm drains penetrated into the basement through exterior walls and streamed into the building 3h after the beginning of a storm. No water streamlets were observed at the 2 other storm-water drainage spots but the humidity of the plaster of the basement exterior walls increased after rain. Dampness has caused salt efflorescence on the facing of the basement walls and other building structures. Humidity tests showed that the relative humidity in the basement exceeded the specified maximum. Relative humidity near the surface of the walls and floor also exceeded the specified maximum. Such high humidity favours the growth of mycelial micro-organisms and can affect human health. Temperature differences between the various basement spaces also exceeded the specified maximum. Such temperature differences can cause great thermal discomfort. Overall the results show that the environment in the basement and the air quality generally in the Palace are not suitable for a public building.
Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds from Several Green and Non-Green Building Materials: A Comparison
Authors: James J. P. , Yang X.
Published: January 2005

Sources that release gaseous or particulate pollutants into the air are an important cause of indoor air quality problems in residential and non-residential buildings. Source reduction, such as selection of non- or low-emitting building materials (“green” products) and cleaning solvents is a common method of remedying indoor air pollution problems. In this study, we measured and compared the volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from 3 groups of green materials and counterpart non-green materials (Trex© decking wood vs. pressure treated decking wood, ceramic floor tile vs. vinyl flooring, water-based paint vs. oil-based paint and wood stain) using a small-scale environmental chamber under controlled environmental conditions. Samples of the chamber air were collected in sampling tubes and analysed by thermal desorption GC/FID. A mass transfer-based emission model and an empirical model were applied to the dry and “wet” materials respectively to further assimilate the results. The experimental data show that the 4 non-green materials all contained hazardous VOCs. The amounts of VOCs emitted from the non-green materials were also far more than their counterparts. The results of the experiments provide a quantitative comparison of the environmental impacts of materials with the same or similar functionality.
Asbestos-containing Floor Tile and Mastic Abatement: Is there Enough Exposure to Cause Asbestos-related Disease?
Authors: Lange John H.
Published: January 2005

Chrysotile asbestos has been reported as a constituent of both floor tiles and mastic. In consequence, asbestos-containing floor tiles and mastic have been identified by regulatory agencies as hazardous materials. The reason for this categorisation is the suggested potential for these materials to cause asbestos-related diseases and as a result special handling has been prescribed. However, studies have reported that little airborne asbestos exposure occurs during abatement of these materials. Evaluation of exposure levels in comparison with levels with the potential of disease causation suggests that there is little likelihood of workers handling or removing these materials developing an asbestos-related disease. When the maximum exposure level of 0.02f·ml−1 (0.8f·ml−1 year) found during studies is considered over a 40-year period and evaluated with epidemiological data, the risk of mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer may be estimated to that reported for background levels. From a practical point of view this represents zero risk. Study results suggest that floor tile and mastic are not likely responsible agents for asbestos disease in either abatement or other workers associated with these products.
External succession and disruptive change: heirs-apparent, forced turnover and firm performance
Authors: Helfat Constance E. , Bailey Elizabeth E.
Published: January 2005

In general, CEO succession is disruptive to an organization, and external succession is especially disruptive. We analyze the impact on firm performance of disruption caused by external succession. Although traditional analysis of the succession process has emphasized the importance of a smooth transition to minimize disruption, research on external succession has emphasized the benefits of bringing in an outsider to shake things up. We investigate the impact on firm performance of three factors that affect the extent of disruption in external succession: forced turnover, which is generally viewed as highly disruptive; prior appointment of an external successor as an outside heir, in order to reduce disruption; and prior appointment as an outside heir with a public promise of becoming CEO. The results suggest that disruption in the form of forced turnover is associated with higher post-succession firm performance. The appointment of external successors as outside heirs first does not appear to be associated with improved firm performance. In addition, outside heir appointments with a public promise may be associated with somewhat worsened performance.
Identity and collaborative strategy in the Canadian HIV/AIDS treatment domain
Authors: Maguire Steve , Hardy Cynthia
Published: January 2005

We explore the links between identity and strategy making by drawing upon a case study of a collaborative strategy implemented by community organizations and pharmaceutical companies involved in Canadian HIV/AIDS treatment. In implementing collaborative strategy, our analysis shows that champions engage in identity work that simultaneously involves: identification with their respective constituencies and, specifically, with categories associated with high legitimacy; counter-identification from their respective constituencies by constructing themselves as different from its core members; and dis-identification away from their constituency towards their collaborative partners. We also examine the interactions between champions and other actors involved in the strategic change process to show the limits and tensions involved in such identity work. We conclude with a discussion of the implications for research and practice.