bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Toward a Monistic Theory of Science
Authors: Kemp Stephen
Published: September 2003

This article considers the `Strong Programme' account of scientific knowledge from a fresh perspective. It argues that insufficient attention has been paid to the Strong Programme's monistic intent, that is, its aim to unify considerations of instrumental adequacy and social interests in explanations of the development of scientific knowledge. Although sharing the judgment of many critics that the Strong Programme approach is flawed, the article diverges from standard criticisms by suggesting that the best alternative is not a dualistic framework but a more adequate monistic approach.
Paranoia and Reinforced Dogmatism
Authors: Rudnick Abraham
Published: September 2003

Deviant forms of human thought may provide insight into epistemic standards, such as rationality. A comparative analysis of paranoia and reinforced dogmatism suggests that reinforced dogmatism, such as pseudo-science a-la-Popper, demonstrates a primary epistemic lack of critical rationality, that is, of testability, whereas paranoia demonstrates a lack of range of alternative statements leading secondarily to a lack of testability. This reflects the importance to both epistemology and psychiatry of epistemic standards in addition to testability, such as relevance to problems, and emphasizes the distinction of the context of introduction from the contexts of discovery and of justification.
A Clash of Methodology and Ethics in `Undercover' Social Science
Authors: Herrera C. D.
Published: September 2003

A focus of criticism on methodological and ethical grounds, the undercover or `covert' approach to fieldwork persists as a useful technique in certain settings. Questions remain about the credibility of the published findings from such work. Covert researchers nearly always protect the anonymity of their subjects and locations. Other researchers cannot validate the covert researcher's claims, yet ethical guidelines often insist that researchers demonstrate the benefits that derive from a covert study. If researchers cannot show that their studies will prove beneficial, ethical standards will weigh against the study, on the presumption that the omission of informed consent should be counterbalanced by the scientific rewards of the research. An attempt to open the results to greater peer investigation might place subjects at risk of unwanted notoriety or even danger. There does not seem to be a way that covert research can meet ethical guidelines unless we adjust our conceptions of research, ethics, or both.
A Note on Nick Zangwill's `Against the Sociology of Art'
Authors: Fowler Bridget
Published: September 2003

Zangwill's recent article offers a provocative and compelling account of the alleged deficiencies of the sociology of art. However, his main targets—christened, respectively, `production and skepticism' and `consumption skepticism'—are, in fact, only decontextualised and one-sided caricatures of the leading theories in this area. Zangwill has misrepresented some of the discipline's leading theorists including Bourdieu, Eagleton, Pollock and Wolff. His own `aesthetic' explanation of artistic acts appears, at first glance, attractive, not least for its repudiation of radical sociological reductionism. But it turns out to be altogether too simplistic an alternative. Zangwill is a sociological `primitive' who understands adequately neither how society exists in the mind itself, nor, paradoxically, in artists' embodied sense of the right feel for the game. A less `enchanted' approach toartists' practices is required. This needs to stress both artists' role in the public sphere and also their specific interests in the artistic field.
What Comes before t?
Authors: Starks Donna , Allan Scott
Published: September 2003

Although several researchers have noted unusual phonetic realizations of s, there is little detailed documentation of such variation. This study investigates the use of a fronted variant of s in the speech of Auckland, New Zealand, residents. The results report on the findings from a rapid survey that elicits tokens of s in word-final position in the speech of 638 Pakeha (New Zealand European) speakers. The findings provide evidence of both a fronted and nonfronted variant of s in this community. The findings also show systematic variation on the basis of age, gender, and occupation, with the fronted variant preferred by younger speakers, professional females, and males in clerical jobs.
Secondary Stress in Compound Germanic Names in Old English Verse
Authors: Bredehoft Thomas A.
Published: September 2003

Conventional linguistic and metrical perspectives claim that secondary elements of Old English compound names are only stressed if they are disyllabic or inflected. This essay argues that this conclusion derives directly from the use of Eduard Sievers's metrical formalism and that other formalisms may suggest that this counterintuitive result is, in fact, incorrect. Using Geoffrey Russom's innovative word-foot metrical formalism and examining evidence from secondary alliteration patterns, this essay offers evidence that monosyllabic secondary elements were given secondary stress. Furthermore, evidence from the spacing of compound names in the Beowulf manuscript supports such a conclusion. Taken together, the evidence from scansion, alliteration patterns, and the manuscript suggest that both Sieversian formalism and the linguistic claims that it gave rise to should be replaced.
Insularity and Linguistic Endemicity
Authors: Schreier Daniel
Published: September 2003

Insularity can play a crucial role in the development (or adoption) of endemic dialect structures. This claim is based on an analysis of the co-occurrence of preterit forms with the quasi-modal used to, as in we used to went there all the time, in the dialect of English spoken on the South Atlantic island of Tristan da Cunha. The author argues that useta went structures most likely originated in second-language (L2) forms of English since some of the Tristan da Cunha settlers had nonnative competence of English. Two crucial stages need to be considered for an explanation of the emergence and development of such structures: an origination phase, which depends on nonnative influence and admixture with interlanguage forms, and a consolidation phase, which depends on the nonlinguistic conditioning of the community. The analysis is contextualized with reference to language acquisition and language-learning processes elsewhere.
The Linguistic Study of Early Modern English Speech-Related Texts
Authors: Kytö Merja , Walker Terry
Published: September 2003

The historical linguist has to rely on written records of a speech event for evidence regarding spoken interaction of the past. The authors consider records of trial proceedings and witness depositions, two genres that are included in A Corpus of English Dialogues 1560-1760 (currently under compilation). They present evidence both for and against the reliability of these written records as representations of past speech. The role of the scribe, as well as the printer and editor, is discussed. The authors also offer evidence to suggest that records that are contemporaneous with the speech event are preferable to later printings and editions for linguistic research. They conclude that the study of speech-related texts is of value in its own right, although these texts cannot be equated with present-day audio recordings of spoken interaction.
Clinical Pharmacology of Topiramate versus Lamotrigine versus Phenobarbital: Comparison of Efficacy and Side Effects Using Odds Ratios
Authors: Lathers Claire M. , Schraeder Paul L. , Claycamp H. Gregg
Published: September 2003

Clinical pharmacologists, neurologists, internists, and all health care givers must consider the efficacy, safety, and side effect profile of a given antiepileptic drug (AED) when determining which drug is best for a given patient. The first purpose of this paper is to address whether the “new” AEDs have advantages over the “old” drugs. The second purpose is to teach those interested in clinical pharmacology about the use of Web‐based information access to answer a neurology/clinical pharmacology problem: to compare the efficacy and side effects of topiramate versus lamotrigine versus phenobarbital using odds ratios. Cost of all three AEDs was also compared. A number of new AEDs, including topiramate and lamotrigine, have been developed for chronic focal and secondarily generalized epileptic seizures. Efficacy of these drugs as anticonvulsants does not seem to be superior to that of traditional anticonvulsants such as phenobarbital. However, the advantage of the new drugs is a different spectrum of possible adverse events. Newer AEDs may or may not induce sedation and may minimize noncompliance by reducing side effects of lethargy and cognitive impairment. The difficulty in achieving therapeutic dosage because of side effects makes one consider whether these agents are “better” than the oldest and most side effect—prone AED, phenobarbital. The new AEDs have less frequent interactions, leading to improved tolerability with comedication. This exercise compares two “new” AEDs, topiramate and lamotrigine, with phenobarbital by evaluating efficacies and side effects using relative odds ratios, a method commonly used in drug development research. Development of new algorithms and/or new knowledge will bring beneficial tools to all clinical pharmacologists.
Pharmacoscintigraphic Assessment of the Regional Drug Absorption of the Dual Angiotensin‐Converting Enzyme/Neutral Endopeptidase Inhibitor, M100240, in Healthy Volunteers
Authors: Martin Nancy E. , Collison Kathryn R. , Martin Louis L. , Tardif Sarah , Wilding Ian , Wray Heather , Barrett Jeffrey S.
Published: September 2003

M100240 is the thioester of MDL 100,173, a dual angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE)/neutral endopeptidase (NEP) inhibitor currently in phase II development. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relative bioavailability of M100240 in various regions of the gastrointestinal tract using the Enterion™ capsule, a noninvasive radiocontrolled device providing targeted drug delivery, to explore the absorption characteristics of M100240 in healthy volunteers. In addition, the absolute bioavailability of an immediate‐release formulation of M100240 was assessed. Pharmacokinetic data were obtained from 13 healthy subjects in an open‐label, single‐dose, randomized, five‐period crossover study. Treatments included 25 mg M100240 administered via short intravenous infusion, oral immediate‐release tablet administration, and oral Enterion™ capsule delivery of drug substance to the proximal small bowel, distal small bowel, and ascending colon. Each treatment was separated by a 14‐day drug‐free washout period. The localization of the Enterion™ capsule in the gastrointestinal tract was monitored using scintigraphic imaging. M100240 and MDL 100,173 plasma concentrations were quantified using a validated LC/MS/MS method, and pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using noncompartmental methods. The estimates of relative bioavailability in the proximal small bowel, distal small bowel, and ascending colon relative to the oral immediate‐release tablet are approximately 94%, 97%, and 41%, respectively. M100240 is primarily absorbed throughout the proximal and distal small bowel with modest absorption in the ascending colon. The absolute bioavailability estimate of the M100240 immediate‐release formulation is 49%. These data characterize the fundamental in vivo performance attributes of M100240, thereby providing an approach for optimizing prototype modified‐release formulations for this compound.
The Conduct of In Vitro and In Vivo Drug‐Drug Interaction Studies: A PhRMA Perspective
Authors: Bjornsson Thorir D. , Callaghan John T. , Einolf Heidi J. , Fischer Volker , Gan Lawrence , Grimm Scott , Kao John , King S. Peter , Miwa Gerald , Ni Lan , Kumar Gondi , McLeod James , Obach Scott R. , Roberts Stanley , Roe Amy , Shah Anita , Snikeris Fred , Sullivan John T. , Tweedie Donald , Vega Jose M. , Walsh John , Wrighton Steven A.
Published: September 2003

Current regulatory guidances do not address specific study designs for in vitro and in vivo drug‐drug interaction studies. There is a common desire by regulatory authorities and by industry sponsors to harmonize approaches to allow for a better assessment of the significance of findings across different studies and drugs. There is also a growing consensus for the standardization of cytochrome P450 (CYP) probe substrates, inhibitors, and inducers and for the development of classification systems to improve the communication of risk to health care providers and patients. While existing guidances cover mainly CYP‐mediated drug interactions, the importance of other mechanisms, such as transporters, has been recognized more recently and should also be addressed. This paper was prepared by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) Drug Metabolism and Clinical Pharmacology Technical Working Groups and represents the current industry position. The intent is to define a minimal best practice for in vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetic drug‐drug interaction studies targeted to development (not discovery support) and to define a data package that can be expected by regulatory agencies in compound registration dossiers.
Pharmacokinetics, Safety, and Antihypertensive Efficacy of Losartan in Combination with Hydrochlorothiazide in Hypertensive Patients with Renal Impairment
Authors: Dickson Tania Z. , Zagrobelny JoAnn , Lin Charles C. , Ritter Michael A. , Snavely Duane , Ramjit Denise , Shahinfar Shahnaz , Lo Man‐Wai
Published: September 2003

The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of 7 days of treatment with losartan 50 mg/hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg were evaluated in 14 patients with normal renal function and in 12 patients with mild to moderate renal impairment. The efficacy of losartan 50 mg/hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg titrated to losartan 100 mg/hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg was examined in 32 hypertensive patients with mild to moderate renal impairment who were treated for 12 weeks. Safety was assessed in both studies by the incidence of adverse experiences. After 7 days of treatment, the AUC for losartan, E‐3174, and hydrochlorothiazide was slightly higher in patients with mild to moderate renal impairment, but the reduction in blood pressure (BP) after 7 days was not different between the two groups. The final (week 12) mean reductions in trough sitting diastolic and systolic BP were 15.0 ± 7.1 mmHg (p < 0.01) and 20.8 ± 16.7 mmHg (p < 0.01), respectively. There were no observed increases in drug‐related adverse experiences in either study. Overall, the combination of losartan/hydrochlorothiazide was effective in lowering blood pressure and was well tolerated in patients with mild to moderate renal impairment.
Lack of Bioequivalence When Levofloxacin and Calcium‐Fortified Orange Juice Are Coadministered to Healthy Volunteers
Authors: Wallace Allison W. , Victory Jennifer M. , Amsden Guy W.
Published: September 2003

Chelation interactions between drugs/supplements that contain large amounts of multivalent ions and the fluoroquinolones have been known for quite some time. However, there has been a lack of taking this interaction into account when they may be coadministered with foods that have been fortified with amounts of multiple multivalent ions that equal or exceed many supplement products. A previous study demonstrated that 12 ounces of calcium‐fortified orange juice significantly decreased the bioequivalence of a dose of ciprofloxacin. This study examined, in 16 healthy volunteers, whether 12 ounces of orange juice with and without calcium fortification would demonstrate the same chelation interaction with single doses of levofloxacin. The results of the study demonstrated that both types of juice decreased levofloxacin Cmax values by 14% to 18% and prolonged tmax values by approximately 50%, with calcium‐fortified orange juice decreasing Cmax enough to lose bioequivalence as compared to the control arm (89% [78.1%, 99.8%]). Due to the lack of change in overall exposure, it is thought that rather than a chelation interaction, levofloxacin and components of the orange juices competed for intestinal transport mechanisms such as P‐glycoprotein and organic anion‐transporting polypeptides, which resulted in the discovered interaction. These results further confirm the need to adjust regulatory studies to include bioequivalence/bioavailability studies that contain fortified foods more than high‐calorie/high‐fat foods to better reflect current American consumption habits.
Tyramine Pharmacokinetics and Reduced Bioavailability with Food
Authors: VanDenBerg Chad M. , Blob Lawrence F. , Kemper Eva M. , Azzaro Albert J.
Published: September 2003

Tyramine challenge studies have demonstrated that it requires approximately twice the amount of tyramine administered with a meal compared to administration after a fast to elicit the same effect, suggesting a reduction in bioavailability of tyramine when administered with food. The pharmacokinetics of tyramine when administered in a fasted versus a fed state were studied. A single 200‐mg dose of tyramine was administered orally to healthy subjects both after an overnight fast and during a meal. Systemic exposure to tyramine was reduced by 53% (p < 0.05), and the maximum concentration of tyramine was reduced by 72% (p < 0.05) when the dose was administered during a meal. Tyramine maximum serum concentration was observed between 20 minutes and 1 hour when the dose was administered after an overnight fast and appeared to be delayed and/or prolonged by administration during a meal. Tyramine oral clearance was 135 ± 55.4 L/min, maximum observed serum concentration was 37.7 ± 26.01 ng/mL, and tyramine elimination half‐life was 0.533 (range: 0.330–0.668) hours after administration to fasted subjects. Tyramine bioavailability was significantly reduced when administered with a meal compared to after a fast. The results suggest that larger amounts of dietary tyramine will be required to induce a pressor response equivalent to that following encapsulated tyramine administered in the fasted state.
The Effect of CYP3A5 and MDR1 Polymorphic Expression on Cyclosporine Oral Disposition in Renal Transplant Patients
Authors: Yates Charles R. , Zhang Wenhui , Song Pengfei , Li Shen , Gaber A. Osama , Kotb Malak , Honaker Marsha R. , Alloway Rita R. , Meibohm Bernd
Published: September 2003

Variability in CYP3A (CYP3A4/5) and P‐glycoprotein (humanMDR1gene product) activity underlies interindividual differences in oral cyclosporine (CsA) bioavailability. Racial differences in polymorphic expression of CYP3A5 and MDR1 may explain observed interracial variability in oral bioavailability. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of CYP3A5 and MDR1 polymorphic expression on CsA oral disposition. Steady‐state plasma concentration profiles (n= 19) were sampled in renal transplant recipients receiving concentration‐adjusted CsA maintenance therapy. CsA plasma concentrations were measured by fluorescence polarization immunoassay.CYP3A5andMDR1genotypes were determined by real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Noncompartmental pharmacokinetic analysis and nonlinear mixed‐effects modeling (NONMEM) were performed to assess the effect of genotype on CsA pharmacokinetics.MDR1C3435T genotype was identified as the best predictor of CsA systemic exposure. CsA oral clearance was significantly higher in subjects who carried at least one 3435T allele compared to homozygous wild‐type individuals (40.0 ± 2.2 vs. 26.4 ± 3.1 L/h,p= 0.007).MDR1C3435T genotype accounted for 43% of the interindividual variability of CsA oral clearance in the study population after accounting for interoccasion variability. The authors were unable to independently assess whetherCYP3A5correlated with any CsA pharmacokinetic parameter since all CYP3A5 nonexpressors were also 3435T allele carriers.MDR13435T allele carriers have enhanced oral clearance compared to individuals with the CC genotype. The frequency of the 3435T allele is lower in African Americans compared to Caucasians. Thus, theMDR1C3435T genotype offers a potential mechanistic basis to explain interracial differences in CsA oral bioavailability. Further studies are needed to explore the relationship betweenCYP3A5andMDR1genotype and phenotype.
From Bench to Bedside: Utilization of an In Vitro Model to Predict Potential Drug‐Drug Interactions in the Kidney: The Digoxin‐Mifepristone Example
Authors: Woodland Cindy , Koren Gideon , Ito Shinya
Published: September 2003

Drug interactions are a common source of drug‐induced toxicity. For drugs with narrow therapeutic windows, such as digoxin, an understanding of the potential mechanisms by which drugs might interact is essential to clinical practice. This article describes the utility of a renal tubular cell culture model in the prediction of drug interactions involving P‐glycoprotein. Digoxin is a cardiac glycoside that undergoes active secretion in the renal tubules by the MDR1 (P‐glycoprotein) drug efflux pump. Mifepristone (RU486) is a recently introduced abortifacient that is largely unstudied in terms of drug‐drug interactions. The authors used an in vitro model to study the effects of mifepristone on the renal tubular secretion and cellular uptake of digoxin by Madin‐Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. Mifepristone significantly inhibited the renal tubular secretion of digoxin (p = 0.0005), without interfering with its ability to enter the renal tubular cell. Similar results were found with the P‐glycoprotein substrate vinblastine. The findings suggest that drug interactions may result if mifepristone is administered with P‐glycoprotein substrates, highlighting the usefulness of this model in the study of not only common but also rare combinations of drugs.
Population Pharmacokinetics of Ciprofloxacin in Pediatric Patients
Authors: Rajagopalan Prabhu , Gastonguay Marc R.
Published: September 2003

The objective of this study was to characterize ciprofloxacin population pharmacokinetics in pediatric patients. A total of 150 pediatric patients (including 28 patients with cystic fibrosis [CF], ages 0.27–16.9 years) received ciprofloxacin by the oral and/or intravenous routes. Population pharmacokinetic analyses were performed with NONMEM software. Exponential error models were used to describe the interindividual variance in pharmacokinetic parameters, and the residual error model included both proportional and additive components. Based on principles of allometry, the patient's body weight was used as a covariate, along with appropriate allometric exponents, in the construction of the base model. Model building was accomplished by a stepwise forward inclusion procedure, and the final model was evaluated by multiple techniques, including bootstrap, leverage analysis, and cross‐validation. With body weight included in the model (two compartments with first‐order absorption), ciprofloxacin clearance was influenced by age, and the absorption rate constant was altered in CF patients. The final model is summarized as follows: CL (L/h) = 30.3 × (WT/70)0.75 × (1 + 0.045 [AGE −2.5]), VC (L) = 56.7 × (WT/70)1.0, VP (L) = 89.8 × (WT/70)1.0, Q (L/h) = 37.5 × (WT/70)0.75, Ka (1/h) = 1.27 × (1 + [−0.611 × CF]), absorption lag time = 0.35 hours, and bioavailability fraction = 61.1%, where WT and AGE are the patient's body weight (kg) and age (years), respectively, and the variable CF equals 1 for CF patients and 0 for non‐CF patients. The interpatient variability in pharmacokinetic parameters (percentage coefficient of variation [%CV]) ranged from 22.5% to 49.8%. The residual variabilities (%CV) for the oral and intravenous data were 40% and 27%, respectively. The shared additive residual variance component was small (SD = 0.04 mg/L). Model evaluation by the different methods indicated that the final model was robust and parameter estimates were precise. A small difference (< 6%) was noted when the patient's age was not used in dose calculation. Therefore, in routine clinical use, for pediatric patients older than 3 months, ciprofloxacin dose may be calculated solely based on body weight.
The Facilitative State, Political Executive Aggrandizement, and Public Service Challenges
Authors: Newland Chester A.
Published: September 2003

Connecting public service with civic duty and advancing both as disciplines of facilitative governance are opportunities and challenges today. Making these linkages is a theme of this analysis, and theories and practices of facilitative nation states are the principal focus. Executive aggrandizement and combined complexities of a growing paradox of partisan fragmentation and seamless connections of politics, business, and government compose a second theme. Garrison state dimensions of counterterrorism are related. The final focus is on political and career service and standards of social and economic self-governance. Facilitative state disciplines of constitutional democracy are stressed in conclusion.
Tales of Two Cities
Authors: Gibson Ed
Published: September 2003

This article presents history (stories) about a political landmark—Social Security—long topical in the discourse on societal versus individual responsibility to provide for retirement and disability. These stories are necessarily abbreviated and simplified because of their subjects: buildings—the locations of the Social Security Administration and its precursors in Washington, DC, and Baltimore. The perspectives of the built environment and of sociotechnical integration provide a distinct vantage on the program's growth into our nation's insurer; on the tensions between principle and compromise, original purpose and ultimate achievement, and neutral competence and political belief; and on the evolution of intent, preserved in unwritten artifacts, into mature program principles.
Social Class and Public Administration
Authors: Oldfield Kenneth
Published: September 2003

The American Society for Public Administration's (ASPA) Code of Ethics commits it to representativeness, fairness , equality , and affirmative action . Notwithstanding these goals, mainstream public administration teachings, texts, and journals mostly ignore the role of social class in understanding the how and why of bureaucratic operations. This is especially puzzling given all the studies showing that socioeconomic status affects most life outcomes and, in turn, government's response to the resulting discrepancies. This study reviews the field's neglect of class matters and shows how this oversight limits the range of possible policy options available for consideration. The discussion closes by (a) suggesting ways to address this omission and (b) explaining how the recommended reforms are consistent with ASPA's Code of Ethics.
Refugee Determination
Authors: Hardy Cynthia
Published: September 2003

This article examines the dynamics of power in refugee determination systems in three countries. It challenges both the view that determination systems encompass rational decision-making processes and the critical view that sees determination procedures as an instrument of the state. It argues that if we use a Foucauldian analysis of power, we are better placed to understand how refugee systems work and to understand the implications for different actors in these systems.
Trading Places
Authors: Harreld Donald J.
Published: September 2003

Fifteenth- and sixteenth-century merchants had a variety of commercial places at their disposal, including private spaces such as houses and warehouses, as well as public spaces like market squares. As Antwerp grew in prominence as a world entrepôt, merchants expressed a need for places in the city where they could congregate to conduct business more peculiar to merchant capitalism. The development of the Bourse, or exchange, in the sixteenth century shows how merchants attempted to regulate public places for their own needs. Antwerp was a city where the activities of merchants were closely associated with prosperity, even when the demands of the merchants were at odds with the interests of the wider population.
Into the Big League
Authors: Souther J. Mark
Published: September 2003

This article examines the relationship between the struggle for African American civil rights and efforts to expand tourism, conventions, and spectator sports in New Orleans, Louisiana, between 1954 and 1969. Drawing on previously neglected archival sources and personal interviews, it considers how the pressure to maintain New Orleans's progressive image as an urbane tourist destination required abandoning Jim Crow customs and embracing the growing national commitment to racial progress. It argues that an unlikely coalition of civil rights activists, tourism interests, municipal officials, and a small segment of New Orleans's old-line social establishment adopted a tourism-related rhetoric to counter the city's dominant discourses of racist resistance to change. By the late 1960s, New Orleans's white leaders agreed that they could no longer countenance overt racial discrimination if New Orleans was to maintain a favorable tourist image.
Adapting Festive Practices
Authors: Spencer Elaine Glovka
Published: September 2003

Nineteenth-century Carnival enthusiasts in Cologne and Mainz staged elaborate annual celebrations intended to advertise their group identities and local status and to knit together the past, present, and future of urban life along the Rhine. In the last decades before World War I, the festive community invoked by Carnival organizers was repeatedly tested by social and ideological schisms and diluted by the proliferation of associations reflective of increasingly heterogeneous urban populations with diverging notions of how the pre-Lenten festivities should be celebrated. Cohesion was further diluted by the need to search out new sources of financial support and a wider clientele and by the year-round availability of new alternatives for entertainment and display. The greatest threat to the continued vitality of Rhenish Carnival proved to be not the attacks of its critics but rather the difficulty of reliably enlisting a committed volunteer base.
Shopping for Recovery
Authors: Elvins Sarah
Published: September 2003

During the early years of the Great Depression, merchants and civic leaders in both Buffalo and Rochester, New York, tried to use the power of private consumption to end the economy's woes. Through a special sales campaign and a coordinated pledge drive, it was hoped that citizens could “buy their way out” of the crisis. Although these initiatives ultimately did not end the depression, they reveal a commitment to local solutions to economic problems and an overwhelming faith in consumption even at a time when consumer capitalism was sorely tested.
Parental Monitoring in African American, Single Mother-Headed Families
Authors: Jones Deborah J. , Forehand Rex , Brody Gene , Armistead Lisa
Published: September 2003

Parental monitoring is considered an essential parenting skill. Despite its relevance to a range of child and adolescent outcomes, including the prevention of conduct problems and substance use, there has been little empirical attention devoted to examining the antecedents of parental monitoring. Building on Brofenbrenner's ecological model, this study examined the association between the ecological context in which families reside and parental monitoring across two waves of data separated by 15 months. Findings were consistent across increasingly conservative sets of hierarchical multiple regression analyses. Whether the neighborhood was rural or urban and the level of maternal depressive symptoms predicted parental-monitoring behavior concurrently and longitudinally as well as change in parental monitoring over time. Monitoring increased over the 15-month interval more in urban areas than rural areas and among mothers with lower levels of depressive symptoms. Clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed.
A Brief Behavioral Activation Treatment for Depression
Authors: Hopko Derek R. , Lejuez C. W. , Lepage James P. , Hopko Sandra D. , McNeil Daniel W.
Published: September 2003

The brief behavioral activation treatment for depression (BATD) is a relatively uncomplicated, time-efficient, and cost-effective method for treating depression. Because of these features, BATD may represent a practical intervention within managed care-driven, inpatient psychiatric hospitals. Based on basic behavioral theory and empirical evidence supporting activation strategies, we designed a treatment to increase systematically exposure to positive activities and thereby help to alleviate depressive affect. This study represents a pilot study that extends research on this treatment into the context of an inpatient psychiatric unit. Results demonstrate effectiveness and superiority of BATD as compared with the standard supportive treatment provided within the hospital. A large effect size was demonstrated, despite a limited sample size. The authors discuss the limitations of the study and future directions.
Impediment Profiling for Smoking Cessation
Authors: Katz David L. , Boukhalil Josette , Lucan Sean C. , Shah Dipti , Chan Wendy , Yeh Ming-Chin
Published: September 2003

Introduction: Cigarette smoking is a leading cause of preventable death. Methods: Long and short `impediment profilers' (LIPs and SIPs, respectively) addressing nicotine addiction, depression, anxiety, stress, chemical dependency, weight control, and household smoking were developed and applied in a pilot smoking cessation study to tailor treatment. Results: Quit rate 72 hours after the target quit date was 50%; at 8 and 12 weeks it was 61% and 39%, respectively. The LIP identified fewer impediments than the SIP. Conclusions: Impediment profiling for tailored smoking cessation intervention is associated with high initial quit rates and warrants further study.
Evaluating Student Discipline Practices in a Public School Through Behavioral Assessment of Office Referrals
Authors: Putnam Robert F. , Luiselli James K. , Handler Marcie W. , Jefferson Gretchen L.
Published: September 2003

Office discipline referrals are a common practice in public schools to address students' problem behaviors. The authors report two descriptive studies in a public elementary-middle school to illustrate frequency of office referrals as an evaluative data source. Study I was a behavioral assessment of office referrals to determine the types of discipline problems confronting school personnel and the distribution of referrals among teachers, students, and grade level. In Study II, a fifth-grade class that had the most office referrals in the school received whole-class and individual-student interventions that produced a decrease in the number of referrals. These findings support use of office referrals as a readily available index by which to identify school discipline problems, design interventions, and evaluate outcome.
An Evaluation of Affect and Binge Eating
Authors: Deaver Cristine M. , Miltenberger Raymond G. , Smyth Joshua , Meidinger Amy , Crosby Ross
Published: September 2003

The affect regulation model of binge eating suggests that binge eating occurs because it provides momentary relief from negative affect. The purpose of this study was to evaluate change in affect during binge eating to evaluate the merits of this model. Participants were young adult women from a midwestern university. Binge eaters recorded their level of pleasantness using the affect grid at 2-minute intervals before, during, and after binge eating episodes and regular meals. Controls recorded in a similar manner during meals. The results showed a different pattern of affect for binge eaters during binge eating episodes and normal meals and for binge eaters and controls at normal meals. The results support the affect regulation model of binge eating and suggest that binge eating is negatively reinforced because it produces momentary relief from negative affect.
Carryover Effects of Free Reinforcement on Children's Work Completion
Authors: Martens Brian K. , Hilt Alexandra M. , Needham Laura R. , Sutterer James R. , Panahon Carlos J. , Lannie Amanda L.
Published: September 2003

Patterns of behavior that persist during transition to a new set of contingencies are referred to as reinforcement history or carryover effects. The authors examined the carryover effects of a fixed-time (FT) schedule of free reinforcement on children's work completion and accuracy. Two female students with learning disabilities participated. During an initial concurrent-choice condition, both children completed more difficult problems reinforced on a richer schedule than easy problems reinforced on a leaner schedule. Exposure to an FT schedule was alternated with subsequent choice conditions in an ABABA design to examine potential carryover effects. During FT conditions, the children completed both types of problems with more errors. During subsequent choice conditions, errors were high initially but decreased, and both children completed easy problems for the first few sessions despite their leaner reinforcement schedule. The potential for detrimental effects of free reinforcement on children's work completion is discussed.
Functional Analysis and Intervention to Reduce Self-Injurious and Agitated Behavior When Removing Protective Equipment for Brief Time Periods
Authors: O'Reilly Mark F. , Murray Nicole , Lancioni Giulio E. , Sigafoos Jeff , Lacey Claire
Published: September 2003

The authors conducted studies that were designed to maintain low levels of hand-to-head self-injury when protective equipment was removed (i.e., rigid arm sleeves and a protective helmet) for brief time periods with an individual with profound intellectual disabilities. A series of assessments was first conducted of a topographically similar form of behavior to self-injury when the person was wearing protective equipment (i.e., hitting helmet with rigid arm sleeves). Results of these assessments indicated that head hitting (with equipment) was not sensitive to social consequences (Study 1) but that it was reduced substantially when the individual had access to items that produced vibration or vibration and sound (Study 2). A treatment protocol that included items that produced vibration and vibration with sound produced substantial reductions in attempts at self-injury and agitation when protective equipment was removed for brief time periods (Study 3).
Internet Use and Misuse
Authors: Rotunda Robert J. , Kass Steven J. , Sutton Melanie A. , Leon David T.
Published: September 2003

The Internet is an affordable and easily accessible technology that has many potential applications to psychology. Interactive technologies engage users psychologically and may facilitate adaptive and maladaptive behaviors. This research explored the Internet-use patterns, psychological characteristics, and negative consequences associated with online activities of 393 college students using the Internet Use Survey (IUS), a self-report instrument designed to administer online. Results indicated that participants spent an average of 3.3 total hours per day on the Internet during the past 12 months and used the medium for multiple purposes. Although participants reported the occurrence of some potentially negative consequences related to Internet use, the prevalence rates for most problematic behaviors were generally low. Exploratory principal component analysis of the IUS subscale that attempts to measure Internet-related impairment revealed four factors: absorption, negative consequences, disrupted sleep, and deception. All of these factors were then significantly related to a measure of boredom proneness. This research supports the necessity for multidimensional assessment (e.g., frequency and context) of Internet usage to enhance our understanding of how this new technology interfaces with users psychologically and behaviorally.
Using Pictures to Assess Reinforcers in Individuals With Developmental Disabilities
Authors: Graff Richard B. , Gibson Lenwood
Published: September 2003

Tangible preference assessments were compared with pictorial preference assessments for 4 individuals with developmental disabilities. In the tangible assessment, on each trial two stimuli were selected and placed in front of the participant, who approached one. In the pictorial assessment, on each trial two line drawings were placed in front of the participant, who pointed to one. For both assessments, the percentage of opportunities each stimulus was approached or touched was calculated, and hierarchies of preferred items were developed. The two assessments yielded similar preference hierarchies for 3 of 4 participants. Reinforcer assessments using a simple free operant response confirmed that items identified as highly preferred on tangible and pictorial assessments functioned as reinforcers.
A New Look at the Influence of Guessing on the Reliability of Multiple-Choice Tests
Authors: Zimmerman Donald W. , Williams Richard H.
Published: September 2003

Previous studies have established that chance success due to guessing contributes to error variance and diminishes the reliability of multiple-choice tests and true-false tests. However, the practical usefulness of these theoretical results remains doubtful. Equations that have been derived have not often been used in practical work in testing and test construction. One reason is that relatively little is known about how guessing combines with other sources of error variance that determine test reliability and what proportion of the total variance of test scores is accounted for by guessing. This article derives explicit formulas that allow for combinations of error variance due to guessing and other sources of error. These formulas provide a more realistic guide as to how much improvement in reliability can be expected by altering parameters such as number of test items, number of item choices, and the means and variances of examinees' observed scores.
Variance Estimation for Converting MIMIC Model Parameters to IRT Parameters in DIF Analysis
Authors: MacIntosh Randall , Hashim Sabrina
Published: September 2003

The purpose of this study is to document the delta method to compute the standard error of the estimates of the converted item response theory (IRT) discrimination and difficulty parameters derived from multiple-indicator, multiple-causes (MIMIC) model parameters. Discussed is the formulation of MIMIC models to explore differential item functioning in Mplus and how to obtain factor-analytic estimates that are converted easily into IRT parameters. Also described are the partial derivatives necessary to apply the delta method to estimate variances for the converted parameters. Both item difficulty and discrimination parameters estimated from MIMIC parameters were very close to the Multilog estimates. The variance estimates for most parameters were similar as well.
Item Exposure Constraints for Testlets in the Verbal Reasoning Section of the MCAT
Authors: Davis Laurie Laughlin , Dodd Barbara G.
Published: September 2003

The current study examined item exposure control procedures for testlet scored reading passages in the Verbal Reasoning section of the Medical College Admission Test with four computerized adaptive testing (CAT) systems using the partial credit model. The first system used a traditional CAT using maximum information item selection. The second used random item selection to provide a baseline for optimal exposure rates. The third used a variation of Lunz and Stahl's randomization procedure. The fourth used Luecht and Nungester's computerized adaptive sequential testing (CAST) system. A series of simulated fixed-length CATs was run to determine the optimal item selection procedure. Results indicated that both the randomization procedure and CAST performed well in terms of exposure control and measurement precision, with the CAST system providing the best overall solution when all variables were taken into consideration.
Using Classical Test Theory in Combination with Item Response Theory
Authors: Bechger Timo M. , Maris Gunter , Verstralen Huub H. F. M. , Béguin Anton A.
Published: September 2003

This study is about relations between classical test theory (CTT) and item response theory (IRT). It is shown that CTT is based on the assumption that measures are exchangeable, whereas IRT is based on conditional independence. Thus, IRT is presented as an extension of CTT, and concepts from both theories are related to one another. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that IRT can be used to provide CTT statistics in situations where CTT fails. Reliability, for instance, can be determined even though a test was not administered to the intended population.
Contesting Animal Rights on the Internet
Authors: Swan Davina , McCarthy John C.
Published: September 2003

This article examines contributions to argument on Internet sites concerned with animal rights. As this is part of a project examining how “rights” and “cases” are constructed and contested through argument, the texts considered are selected from sites that take an explicit stance for or against animal rights. Our reading of these texts highlights the strategies used by pro- and anti-animal-rights contributors. The pro-animal-rights side used two main argumentative strategies. The first constructed animal use as a moral problem by ascribing rights to animals in discourses of suffering, oppression, and depravity. The second constructed animal rights as mutually reinforcing of human welfare by presenting animal use as needless for, and dangerous to, human health. The anti-animal-rights side reconstructed animal use as necessary for reasons including human health, thereby situating animal interests and human welfare as incompatible, and make animal rights rather than animal use the moral problem. Implications are discussed.
Children's Speech Accommodation to Gendered Language Styles
Authors: Robertson Kirsten , Murachver Tamar
Published: September 2003

Research has shown that adults accommodate to the speech style of their conversational partner. For men, this accommodation is mediated by gender role beliefs. Speech accommodation and factors influencing this behavior during middle childhood have received little attention. The present study examined children's speech accommodation as functions of their gender role beliefs, age, and gender. A male and a female experimenter, trained to use both male- and female-preferential language styles, interacted with primary school children during a puppet show. Analyses showed that the children adjusted their speech toward that of the experimenter. There was little effect of child or experimenter gender on children's speech. In addition, boys' conversational behavior was related to their beliefs about adhering to gender stereotypes. Results are discussed in relation to a social constructionist view of gender.
The Writing on the Stall
Authors: Green James A.
Published: September 2003

Research looking at toilet graffiti has focused on topic at the expense of a communication perspective and has also suffered from a number of methodological failings. This study sought to remedy this and integrate the research into the social identity and deindividuation model and communication accommodation theory. Graffiti were collected verbatim from adjacent male toilets, female toilets, and study booths. Strong gender differences were found for topic. Graffiti from the female toilets tended to be more polite and interactive, whereas those from the male toilets were more argumentative and negative. Gender differences in language style were more subtle but generally consistent with those found in other contexts. Gendered language was mitigated in the mixed-gender context. Topics in the mixed-gender context were a composite of the topics found in the men's and women's toilets but also included the only sexist remarks in the data.